President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon, former WWE executive and administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), as the U.S. next education secretary. 

Ms McMahon, a leading advocate for school choice and parental rights, will play a pivotal role in shaping education policy under the Trump administration.  

In a statement, Mr Trump praised Ms McMahon’s extensive leadership experience, highlighting her work as board chair at the America First Policy Institute, where she championed universal school choice in 12 states. 

“Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every state in America and empower parents to make the best education decisions for their families,” he said.  

Ms McMahon’s background in education includes serving for two years on the Connecticut Board of Education, where she helped oversee public education and technical high schools statewide. 

She also served on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut for over 16 years.  

Ms McMahon is best known for her tenure as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a company she co-founded with her husband, Vince McMahon. 

After stepping away from WWE, Ms McMahon transitioned into public service, leading the SBA from 2017 to 2019, where she focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.  

Her political involvement has deepened over the years. As Chair of AFPI, she worked to promote education reform, particularly school choice,  advocating for policies that give parents greater control over their children’s education. 

She also serves as co-chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, reflecting her growing influence in Republican policy-making circles.  

As education secretary, Ms McMahon is expected to advance policies that prioritise school choice and decentralise federal oversight of education, returning more control to state governments.