(CNN) – US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen his transition co-chair, Linda McMahon, to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Education.
The decision, which Trump announced Tuesday night confirming CNN’s earlier report, took shape after it became clear that McMahon would be passed over for commerce secretary. Trump named his other transition co-president, Howard Lutnickto lead the Commerce Department earlier Tuesday, after CEO Cantor Fitzgerald floated his name for Treasury secretary, causing a battle with hedge fund manager Scott Bessent.
“Linda will use her decades of leadership experience and deep understanding of both education and business to empower the next generation of American students and workers, and make the United States number one in education in the world. We will send education back to the states, and Linda will lead that effort,” Trump said in a statement.
McMahon served as administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term. She was appointed in 2017 and resigned in 2019 to become the chair of America First Action, an independent pro-Trump campaign committee.
She is the board chair of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a pro-Trump group that was formed in 2021 by McMahon, Larry Kudlow and other advisers to the first Trump administration.
AFPI has raised millions of dollars since its founding and has been described as a “White House in waiting,” planning potential policy proposals for Trump’s second term.
McMahon is also the former CEO of WWE, which she co-founded with her husband, Vince McMahon. As head of WWE, Linda McMahon oversaw its transformation from a small wrestling entertainment company to a publicly traded media empire. He resigned as CEO in 2009.
McMahon twice ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut, losing in 2010 and 2012. She self-financed those campaigns, spending $50.1 million in 2010 and $48.7 million in 2012. according to Open Secretsa nonprofit that tracks campaign finance. Trump donated $5,000 to his campaign in 2012.
McMahon is a major Republican donor. During Trump’s first campaign for president, McMahon donated more than $7 million to two independent pro-Trump campaign committees, according to Open Secrets.
Guest 1: Dr. Sarah Johnson, Education Policy Expert at Harvard University
Question 1: Dr. Johnson, what are your initial thoughts on President-elect Trump’s decision to appoint Linda McMahon as the next Secretary of Education? How might her background in business and involvement in pro-Trump groups impact her approach to education policy?
Question 2: As someone who has studied federal-state relationships in education policy, could you speak to the potential implications of President Trump’s plan to “send education back to the states” under Secretary McMahon’s leadership? How do you envision this playing out in practice?
Question 3: McMahon’s previous experience as CEO of WWE and involvement in the America First Policy Institute raises questions about her qualifications for the position. How important do you think it is for the Secretary of Education to have direct experience in the field of education?
Guest 2: Jessica Smith, Member of the National Education Association (NEA)
Question 4: Ms. Smith, how does the NEA feel about President Trump’s choice of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education? What specific concerns do you have regarding her experience and potential policy positions?
Question 5: With Secretary McMahon’s recent involvement in pro-Trump groups like AFPI, there are concerns that she may prioritize partisan politics over evidence-based education policy. How can the Biden administration work to undo any potential damage and restore trust in the Department of Education?
Question 6: As the first lady has traditionally championed public education, what role might Dr. Biden play in shaping future education policy, particularly given her focus on community colleges and equity issues?
