Federal Video

Linda McMahon: 5 Things to Know About Trump’s Choice for Education Secretary

The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment is a longtime Trump ally
By Evie Blad & Lauren Santucci — November 21, 2024 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to nominate former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education.

McMahon was the head of the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term, later taking on roles in support of his political campaign, policy agenda, and presidential transition.

If confirmed by the Senate, McMahon will be charged with leading an agency Trump has pledged to abolish—a goal that Republicans have tried and failed to achieve in the past.

Trump said McMahon will be a good choice to dramatically downsize the federal role in education. Critics of the pick, including Senate Democrats and the largest national teachers’ union, said she has insufficient experience in education to take on such an important role.

See Also

Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019.
Then-SBA Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019. Trump has tapped McMahon to serve as education secretary in his second term.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Federal Trump's Education Secretary Pick Is Linda McMahon, Former WWE CEO
Brooke Schultz, November 19, 2024
6 min read
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Linda McMahon speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. McMahon has been selected by President-elect Trump to serve as as the next secretary of education.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Federal Opinion How Educators Are Thinking About a Second Trump Administration
Opinions vary on what the president-elect’s proposed Cabinet picks will mean for K-12 education.
4 min read
Pop Art styled White House Illustration. Washington, DC.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty + Education Week
Federal Opinion Betsy DeVos Has Advice for the Next Secretary of Education
In an interview, Trump's first education secretary shares hard-won lessons from her tenure.
10 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Federal How Trump's Cabinet Picks Could Affect K-12 Schools
Trump's Cabinet could affect everything from students' meals to schools' broadband access.
12 min read
President-elect Donald Trump speaks at meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a meeting of the House GOP conference on Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. His picks to head major agencies—including the Education, Agriculture, and Justice departments—will shape policy around U.S. schooling.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Jimmy Carter and Education: Highlights of a Long Record on School Policy
The 39th president oversaw the creation of the U.S. Department of Education.
5 min read
President Jimmy Carter gets a round applause as he passes out pens at the White House in Washington, Oct. 17, 1979 following the signing legislation establishing a Department of Education. From left are: Dr. Benjamin Mays former president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Rep. Jack Brooke (D-Texas), Carter, Sen. Abraham Ribicoff (D-Connecticut).
President Jimmy Carter gets a round of applause as he passes out pens at the White House in Washington, Oct. 17, 1979, following the signing of legislation that established a federal department of education. From left are: Dr. Benjamin Mays, former president of Morehouse College in Atlanta; Rep. Jack Brooke, D-Texas; Carter; and Sen. Abraham Ribicoff, D-Conn. Carter died on Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100.
Charles Tasnadi/AP