Who is Linda McMahon, former WWE CEO chosen by Trump as education secretary

Linda McMahon speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP)

US President-elect Donald Trump has named Linda McMahon as the next education secretary. McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive, will head the department of education, a federal agency Trump has previously suggested eliminating.
“For the past four years, as the Chair of the Board at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Linda has been a fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights, working hard at both AFPI and America First Works (AFW) to achieve Universal School Choice in 12 States, giving children the opportunity to receive an excellent Education, regardless of zip code or income,” Trump said in a statement. He added that McMahon will fight “tirelessly” to expand universal school choice across the country.
McMahon has a diverse background spanning business and politics. She and her husband Vince McMahon built World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a company that grew to dominate the professional wrestling industry. Vince’s father was also a wrestling promoter, and the McMahons followed in his footsteps.
Trump and McMahon have previously worked together. When Trump was the host of the reality TV show *The Apprentice*, he participated in a 2007 WrestleMania event at WWE. The storyline included a scripted feud between Trump and Vince McMahon, culminating in Trump shaving Vince’s head in the wrestling ring.
McMahon eventually moved into politics, stepping down from her role as WWE’s chief executive to pursue public office. She ran twice for a US Senate seat in Connecticut, losing in 2010 to Richard Blumenthal and in 2012 to Chris Murphy.
Education was an early interest for McMahon. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and shared that she had initially planned to become a teacher before her career took a different direction after getting married.
McMahon also served in Trump’s first administration as the head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), which provides loans and disaster relief to businesses and ensures compliance with government contracting laws. Trump praised her performance when she left the role in 2019, saying, “The fact is, I’ve known her for a long time. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know she was that good.”
After leaving the SBA, McMahon stayed connected to Trump. She chaired America First Action, a super PAC supporting Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. Although Trump lost to Joe Biden, McMahon helped establish the America First Policy Institute to continue advocating for Trump’s policies.