Donald Trump Nominates WWE Co-Founder Linda McMahon as Education Secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated WWE co-founder Linda McMahon for Secretary of the Department of Education.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Trump, 78, announced he anticipates bringing McMahon, 76, into his upcoming administration. McMahon previously served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration during the first half of his first term. 

In the Nov. 19 statement, Trump wrote that McMahon is doing an “incredible” job as transition team co-chair. 

“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families," Trump said, later adding, "We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”

McMahon serves as board chair at the Trump-aligned think tank America First Policy Institute.

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McMahon may be directed to oversee Trump’s plans for the abolition of the Department of Education.

During Trump’s campaign, he criticized the Department of Education for being “ineffective” and staffing employees who “hate our children.” In July 2024, Trump proposed closing the agency and to “cut federal funding for any school or program pushing critical race theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children.” 

He also said he wants to “find and remove the radicals who have infiltrated the federal Department of Education,” as well as “keep men out of women’s sports.”

McMahon was also an executive at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which she co-founded with her husband, Vince McMahon. She resigned from her position in 2009 for an unsuccessful run for one of Connecticut's U.S. Senate seats.

Linda’s nomination follows the Nov. 19 announcement that Trump nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

It also comes after Linda’s transition team co-chair, Howard Lutnick, was selected as Trump's pick for commerce secretary. Lutnick is the billionaire chairman and CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.