Linda McMahon has been a constant presence in Donald Trump’s tumultuous orbit, serving in his first administration and supporting his presidential campaigns. Now he’s chosen her to serve as education secretary.
Here's a look at McMahon’s background, from business to politics.
McMahon went from wrestling to politics
McMahon is married to Vince McMahon, whose father was a prominent professional wrestling promoter. They followed him into the business, founding their own company that’s now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. It became a juggernaut in the industry and American culture.
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When Trump was the star of the reality show “The Apprentice,” he made an appearance at Wrestlemania in 2007.
The billionaire entertainment mogul participated in an elaborately scripted feud that ended with Trump shaving off Vince McMahon’s hair in the middle of the ring.
Linda McMahon stepped down from her position as WWE’s chief executive to enter politics. She ran twice for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut, but lost in 2010 to Richard Blumenthal and in 2012 to Chris Murphy.
Shifting gears, she focused on providing financial support to candidates. McMahon provided $6 million to help Trump’s candidacy after he secured the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
Teaching was an initial career goal
McMahon served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year, starting in 2009. She told lawmakers at the time that she had a lifelong interest in education and once planned to become a teacher, a goal that fell aside after her marriage.
She also spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
McMahon is seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she has expressed support for charter schools and school choice.
McMahon was part of Trump’s first presidency
A month after defeating Hillary Clinton, Trump chose McMahon as leader of the Small Business Administration. The agency gives loans and disaster relief to companies and entrepreneurs, and it monitors government officials’ compliance with contract laws.
When McMahon was chosen, she was praised by Blumenthal and Murphy, the two Connecticut Democrats who defeated her in Senate campaigns. Blumenthal called her “a person of serious accomplishment and ability,” while Murphy said she was a “talented and experienced businessperson.”
Unlike other members of Trump’s first administration, McMahon was not shadowed by scandal or controversy. She frequently promoted his trade and tax policies.
“She has been a superstar,” Trump said when she left the administration in 2019. “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.”
She kept supporting Trump after leaving the administration
McMahon didn’t leave Trump’s orbit. She chaired America First Action, a super PAC that backed Trump’s reelection campaign in 2020. He lost to Democrat Joe Biden, and McMahon helped start the America First Policy Institute to continue advocating for Trump’s agenda and prepare for a potential return to the White House.
When Trump ran for president this year, McMahon was the co-chair of his transition team along with Howard Lutnick, the chief executive of financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald. As part of that role, McMahon has been helping to plan Trump’s new administration.
Once he takes office, perhaps McMahon’s biggest task will be to eliminate the agency she was hired to oversee. Trump has promised to close the Education Department and return much of its powers to states. Trump has not explained how he would close the agency, which was created by Congress in 1979 and would likely require action from Congress to dismantle.
