Trump Tracker: Meet Linda McMahon, The Ex-WWE CEO Set To Lead US Education Department

US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon as the next education secretary, making the former professional wrestling executive in charge of a department he has vowed to dismantle. Trump expressed confidence in her commitment, saying she would work "tirelessly" to promote universal school choice nationwide, reported Reuters.

Wrestling rings to political arena

Linda McMahon, alongside her husband Vince McMahon, played a big role in transforming Capitol Wrestling into the global entertainment powerhouse now known as WWE. The company not only revolutionised professional wrestling but also became a major fixture in American pop culture. McMahon stepped away from her CEO position at WWE in 2009 to embark on a political journey. Her two bids for a US Senate seat in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012 ended in losses, but she gained recognition for her business acumen and commitment to the Republican Party. She later became an influential political donor, contributing $6 million to support Trump's campaign after he clinched the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

Interest in education

In 2009, McMahon served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year and shared with lawmakers her passion for the field. She said she once aspired to become a teacher, a dream she set aside after getting married. She also dedicated several years to serving on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

Key figure in Trump's first term

During Donald Trump's first term, he appointed McMahon as the head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), an agency responsible for providing loans, and disaster relief, and ensuring compliance with contract regulations for businesses and entrepreneurs. Her appointment garnered bipartisan praise, including from Connecticut Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, who previously defeated her in Senate races. She became a vocal advocate for Trump's trade and tax policies. When McMahon stepped down in 2019, Trump lauded her contributions, saying, “She has been a superstar. I knew she was good, but I didn't know she was that good.”

Trump ally

Since leaving the administration, McMahon has remained a close ally of Trump. She chaired America First Action, a political action committee supporting Trump's 2020 re-election campaign and later co-founded the America First Policy Institute, a think tank dedicated to advancing Trump's conservative agenda.

In the lead-up to the 2024 election, Linda McMahon played a key role in Trump's transition team alongside financial executive Howard Lutnick. The team has been planning the structure of Trump's prospective second term, with McMahon emerging as a central figure in this effort.

Controversial legacy

Linda McMahon and her husband have faced legal challenges, including a recent lawsuit accusing WWE of systemic failures to address abuse allegations.