On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump tapped Linda McMahon, a longtime ally and co-chair of his transition team, to lead the Department of Education. McMahon served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term.
McMahon’s relationship with the President-elect spans decades, beginning when she and her husband founded World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. After stepping down from her role as chief executive of WWE, McMahon was appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Education, a position she held for one year before launching two unsuccessful campaigns to represent Connecticut in the Senate.
Following her Senate bids, McMahon became a prominent Republican donor and vocal supporter of then-candidate Trump. After his victory in the 2016 election, McMahon was chosen to lead the Small Business Administration. The choice was praised by Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, the two Democrats who defeated her in her Senate campaigns. Blumenthal praised her as “a person of serious accomplishment and ability,” with Murphy calling McMahon a “talented and experienced businessperson.” McMahon resigned from her post without controversy in 2019 and was praised by Trump as “one of our all-time favorites” and a “superstar.”
McMahon stayed close to Trump following her departure from the administration, chairing America First Action, a super PAC that backed Trump’s 2020 presidential run. Following his loss in the 2020 election, she helped to start the America First Policy Institute, a conservative policy group advocating for Trump’s agenda and preparing for a second term. McMahon has been serving as the co-chair of Trump’s transition team with Howard Lutnick, a Wall Street executive who was recently tapped to lead the Commerce Department.
President-elect Trump has repeatedly called for the dissolution of the Department of Education, and McMahon will now lead the agency. In a statement, Trump said that 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.”
The America First Policy Institute has advocated for the elimination of degree requirements for public sector careers, the abolishment of DEI initiatives at state universities, and the reversal of President Biden’s student debt relief plan.
While serving on the Connecticut State Board of Education, McMahon told lawmakers that she had initially planned to become a teacher and had a lifelong interest in education. Additionally, she spent many years as a trustee for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut
Explore the America First Policy Institute’s higher education page here.