Trump Selects Linda McMahon to Serve as Secretary of Education

President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has selected former Linda McMahon to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Education.

In a press release from the Trump-Vance Transition team, Trump praised McMahon, who previously served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, as a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights.” McMahon is also the co-founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Trump added that his administration would send education “BACK TO THE STATES” and added that McMahon would be spearheading the effort.

“It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education,” Trump said. “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 added: “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 press release continued:

Linda served for two years on the Connecticut Bord of Eduction, where she was one of fifteen members overseeing all Public Education in the State, including its Technical High School system. She also served as a Member of the Board of Trustees at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, for two stints totaling over 16 years. She is now doing an incredible job as Co-Chair of our Trump-Vance Transition Team. Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.

Trump has previously expressed support for ending the Department of Education and sending education back down into the hands of the states.

“But if you moved education back to the 50 [states], you’ll have some that won’t do well … But they’ll actually be forced to do better because it’ll be a pretty bad situation,” Trump told Elon Musk during an X Spaces interview in August. “But if you think about it, you’ll have some of these states — I’ll bet you’d have 30, 35 states [where education] will be much better. And you know what? It’ll cost less than half what it is in Washington. And these people don’t care about the students in these far away states.”