Linda McMahon has been a steady figure in Donald Trump’s world, helping him during his first presidency and backing his political campaigns. Now, Trump has picked her to be his Education Secretary. Here’s her journey from wrestling to politics and beyond.
From WWE to Politics
Linda McMahon is married to Vince McMahon, the man behind the WWE empire. Together, they turned World Wrestling Entertainment into a massive success, making it a big part of American pop culture.
Fun fact: Back in 2007, when Trump was the star of The Apprentice, he made a flashy appearance at WrestleMania. In a staged feud, Trump ended up shaving Vince McMahon’s head in the middle of the wrestling ring!
Linda eventually stepped away from WWE to dive into politics. She ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut twice but lost both times, in 2010 and 2012. After that, she shifted her focus to supporting Republican candidates financially, including giving $6 million to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
An Early Dream to Teach
Teaching was Linda’s first career dream. She even served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year in 2009 and spent years as a trustee for Sacred Heart University. Although she didn’t end up becoming a teacher, her interest in education stuck around. She’s shown support for charter schools and school choice, though she’s not a well-known figure in education circles.
Part of Trump’s First Presidency
After Trump won in 2016, he made Linda the head of the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA helps small businesses with loans and disaster relief, while also ensuring government contracts are handled fairly.
Surprisingly, even her past political opponents, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy—who defeated her in her Senate races—praised her appointment. Blumenthal called her “accomplished,” and Murphy described her as “talented.”
Linda stayed out of controversies during her time in the administration and focused on promoting Trump’s trade and tax policies. When she stepped down in 2019, Trump was full of praise, calling her a “superstar.”
Still in Trump’s Corner
Even after leaving the SBA, Linda stayed close to Trump. She led a super PAC that supported his 2020 reelection campaign. Though Trump lost to Joe Biden, Linda continued to push his policies by co-founding the America First Policy Institute.
Now, as Trump runs for president again, Linda is helping plan his potential return to the White House. If he wins, one of her main jobs will be figuring out how to follow through on Trump’s promise to shut down the Department of Education and hand its responsibilities back to the states. That won’t be easy since the department was created by Congress and can’t be dismantled without their approval.
What’s Next?
From the wrestling ring to politics, Linda McMahon has had quite the journey. If Trump takes office again, she’ll have her hands full with big plans and even bigger challenges. Time will tell how it all plays out.
