President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon, co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), as Secretary of the Department of Education. The announcement, made on Tuesday, highlights McMahon’s previous role as Administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term. Trump praised her performance as transition team co-chair, calling her work “incredible.”

“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every state in America and empower parents to make the best education decisions for their families,” Trump said in a statement. He also emphasized plans to return control of education to the states, noting that McMahon would lead that effort.

McMahon, who co-founded WWE with her husband Vince McMahon, stepped down from her executive position in 2009 to pursue an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She later served as chair and CEO of the financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald and spent two years on the Connecticut Board of Education. Additionally, she held leadership roles at the America First Policy Institute and America First Works.

McMahon’s nomination aligns with Trump’s campaign promises to reform and potentially abolish the Department of Education. Throughout his campaign, Trump criticized the department as “ineffective” and accused it of harboring employees who “hate our children.” In July 2024, he proposed eliminating the agency, cutting federal funding for schools promoting critical race theory or “gender ideology,” and removing “radicals” from the department. He also reiterated his commitment to barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.