WASHINGTON (AP) — Linda McMahon has been a constant presence in Donald Trump’s turbulent environment, serving in his first administration and supporting his presidential campaigns. Now he has chosen her as education secretary.
Here’s a look at McMahon’s background, from business to politics.
McMahon moved from wrestling to politics
McMahon is married to Vince McMahon, whose father was a well-known professional wrestling promoter. They followed him into business and formed their own company, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. It became a juggernaut in the industry and American culture.
When Trump was the star of the reality show “The Apprentice,” he appeared at Wrestlemania in 2007. The billionaire entertainment mogul engaged in an elaborately scripted feud that ended with Trump shaving Vince McMahon’s hair in the middle of the ring.
Linda McMahon resigned from her position as general manager of WWE to enter politics. She ran twice for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut, but lost to Richard Blumenthal in 2010 and Chris Murphy in 2012.
She switched gears and focused on financial support for candidates. McMahon committed $6 million to support 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 one 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 was abandoned after she married.
She also served for years on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
McMahon is considered relatively unknown in education circles, although 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 picked McMahon to head the Small Business Administration. The agency provides loans and disaster relief to businesses and entrepreneurs and monitors government officials’ compliance with contracting laws.
When McMahon was elected, she was praised by Blumenthal and Murphy, the two Connecticut Democrats who defeated her in the Senate race. Blumenthal called her “a person of serious accomplishments and abilities,” while Murphy said she was a “talented and experienced businesswoman.”
Unlike other members of the first Trump administration, McMahon was not marred by scandal or controversy. She frequently promoted his trade and tax policies.
“She was a superstar,” Trump said when she left the administration in 2019. “The fact is that I have known her for a long time. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know she was that good.” “
She continued to support Trump after she left the administration
McMahon has not left Trump’s sphere of influence. She was chairwoman of America First Action, a super PAC that supported Trump’s re-election campaign in 2020. He lost to Democrat Joe Biden, and McMahon helped found the America First Policy Institute to continue to advocate for Trump’s agenda and prepare for a possible return to the White House.
When Trump ran for president this year, McMahon co-chaired his transition team with Howard Lutnick, chief executive of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald. As part of that role, McMahon helped plan Trump’s up-to-date administration.
Once McMahon takes office, perhaps his biggest task will be eliminating the agency she was hired to oversee. Trump has promised to close the Education Department and return much of its authority to the states. Trump has not explained how he would close the agency, which was created by Congress in 1979 and would likely require congressional action to disband.
