United States President-elect Donald Trump has picked World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder and his transition co-chair, Linda McMahon, as his nominee for education secretary.
A long-time Trump ally, McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first presidency and donated millions of dollars to his presidential campaign.
Announcing his pick on Truth Social, Trump said McMahon would “use her decades of leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers”.
Trump has criticised the Department of Education, and has promised to close it down – a job McMahon could be tasked with.
Her nomination came shortly after Trump chose Mehmet Oz, a celebrity doctor and former television host, to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The two selections on Tuesday, along with Trump’s choice of Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary, follows a pattern of the president-elect nominating loyal supporters to top roles in his cabinet.
McMahon has a long history with the WWE and Trump, who used to make occasional appearances at wrestling matches. She co-founded the wrestling league with her husband in 1980, resigning as CEO in 2009 in order to undertake a failed bid to run for the Senate.
She has little background in education, but did serve on Connecticut state’s board of education from 2009 until 2010.
She is the board chair of the pro-Trump think tank the America First Policy Institute, meaning her confirmation in the Republican-majority Senate is likely.
“For the past four years, as the Chair of the Board at the America First Policy Institute, Linda has been a fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights,” Trump said in his statement.
He said McMahon would “spearhead” the effort to “send Education BACK TO THE STATES”, in reference to his pledge to close the department.
