Donald Trump nominated Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), on Tuesday to lead the Department of Education, an agency he has pledged to dismantle.
Calling McMahon a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights,” Trump stated: “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”
McMahon, a key member of Trump’s transition team ahead of his return to the White House in January, will play a pivotal role in filling some 4,000 government positions.
While McMahon’s direct education experience is limited, Trump highlighted her two years on the Connecticut Board of Education and 16 years on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University, a private Catholic institution.
McMahon, who left WWE in 2009 to run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, has also been a major donor to Trump. Since 2021, she has chaired the Center for the American Worker at the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-aligned think tank.
Trump has repeatedly promised to eliminate the federal Department of Education. “We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” he said during a rally in Wisconsin in September, reiterating his commitment to returning educational control to the states.
McMahon’s association with Trump dates back to their time in the professional wrestling industry, where she met him while leading WWE. Notably, in a memorable moment during a staged wrestling feud, Trump body-slammed her husband, WWE founder Vince McMahon, and shaved his head live on television.
In 2017, McMahon was confirmed as head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), where she worked to support America’s millions of small businesses. After leaving the SBA, she chaired the pro-Trump America First Action SuperPAC.
Trump cited McMahon’s extensive business experience, particularly her role in growing WWE, as a key qualification for leading the Education Department.
