Trump War Room Fact Sheet: Linda McMahon

FACT SHEET: Information on Linda McMahon Ahead of Senate Confirmation Hearing for the Position of Secretary of Education

President Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon—a co-chair for his transition team who previously led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 during the first Trump term—to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. McMahon, known for her role as a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) executive, has “minimal education experience.”

McMahon, Who Has Little Education Policy Experience, Could Lead Efforts To Abolish The Education Department

Linda McMahon has “no teaching background or professional experience steering education policy” other than serving on the Connecticut State Board of Education for just over a year before her failed run for U.S. Senate and as a board member of the private catholic institution Sacred Heart University.

Despite McMahon’s lack of experience, she will be responsible for advancing Trump’s consequential plans to hobble the Education Department—including changes to Title IX sex discrimination policy, which Trump has struck down—or even abolishing the department entirely, as Trump and his top advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have vowed to do.

McMahon, Who Would Enforce Title IX Sexual Discrimination Prohibitions And Abuse Protections, Was Just Named In A Sexual Abuse Scandal From Her Time Leading WWE

In 2024, McMahon was named in a damning sexual abuse lawsuit from her time in the leadership of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Five sexual assault victims accused WWE of “allowing years of sexual abuse of young boys by a ringside announcer.” The lawsuit alleged WWE leaders “knowingly allowed” the ringside announcer to recruit and then sexually exploit “ring boys,” even doing so in front of WWE executives and others. Linda and Vince McMahon also allegedly fired the announcer due to his alleged sexual abuse, but then rehired him within weeks, reportedly allowing him to continue his conduct.

Meanwhile, if confirmed to be Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon “will be put in charge of heading up changes to Title IX.” The regulation, which the Biden administration bolstered, protects students from discrimination on the basis of sex, including “sexual assault and sexual abuse.”

McMahon Is A Close Trump Political Ally Who Gave Millions To Pro-Trump PACs And Chaired A Right-Wing Think Tank Stacked With Trump Officials

McMahon is “a close friend of Mr. Trump’s and a longtime booster of his political career,” giving over $7 million to two pro-Trump super PACs during his 2017 presidential campaign, chairing the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action, and giving $10 million to the Make America Great Again PAC in 2024.

McMahon is board chair of America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a right-wing think tank established by former Trump officials in the wake of his 2020 defeat that has been “closely involved in planning” for Trump’s second term. Trump bolstered the organization following its launch, with his Save America PAC giving $1 million to AFPI following the group’s launch in 2021. Trump has reportedly complained that AFPI owes him money due to how much fundraising it had done off of its associations with him.

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