Linda McMahon

Linda McMahon (born October 4, 1948, New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.) is an American business executive and politician who is U.S. Pres. Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. During Trump’s first term in office, McMahon, a Republican, was administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017–19). Before entering politics, McMahon was president (1993–2000) and CEO (1997–2009) of World Wrestling Entertainment, a multibillion-dollar company she founded with her husband, Vince McMahon.

Early life

She was born Linda Edwards, the only child of Evelyn and Henry Edwards. Her parents worked on a military base near their home in New Bern, North Carolina. While a teenager, Linda Edwards met Vince McMahon, the son of a wrestling promoter, and the couple married in 1966, shortly after she graduated from high school. She later attended East Carolina University, where she received a degree in French (1969). Linda McMahon later earned a teaching certificate but never taught. Instead, she became a paralegal while her husband worked a series of jobs. The couple struggled financially, and they declared bankruptcy in 1976.

Wrestling

In 1980 Linda and Vince McMahon founded Titan Sports, and two years later they bought his father’s company, Capitol Wrestling Corporation. The ventures eventually became the World Wrestling Federation (later World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE]), and Linda McMahon held various posts, eventually becoming CEO in 1997. While Vince McMahon focused on the wrestlers and storylines, Linda McMahon concentrated on business operations. Under their guidance, the company was transformed from a regional venture into an international empire, and professional wrestling became a multibillion-dollar industry. Linda McMahon was especially noted for launching WWE’s merchandising division, which was critical to the company’s success. She struck licensing deals that included action figures and lunch boxes, and she was involved in securing television deals. Although McMahon maintained a relatively low profile, she occasionally entered the ring to perform as herself in some of WWE’s segments.

Over the years, WWE was involved in various controversies. Some complained that the company’s scripted performances were too violent and sexualized for children. The company also faced scandals involving allegations of sexual misconduct and the use of steroids. In 1994 Vince McMahon faced federal charges that included the possession and distribution of steroids. Linda McMahon backed her husband, and he was ultimately acquitted. She later expressed doubts about the health risks associated with steroids.

Politics

In 2009 McMahon left WWE to pursue a career in politics. That year she was appointed to Connecticut’s state school board, but she later resigned to focus on her 2010 run for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. During the campaign, she called for lower taxes, a balanced budget amendment, and fewer regulations. She won the Republican primary but lost the general election to Richard Blumenthal. McMahon staged another Senate bid in 2012, but she was again defeated in the general election, this time by Chris Murphy.

During the 2016 presidential election, McMahon supported Donald Trump, the eventual winner. After taking office in 2017, he nominated her to serve as administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), and she was confirmed by the Senate, 81–19, on February 14. She took office that day. After two years she left the SBA to head America First Action, a super PAC backing Trump. She later became chair of the board for America First Policy Institute, a think tank affiliated with Trump.

In 2024 Trump won a second term as president, and he selected McMahon as his nominee for secretary of the Department of Education, which he has suggested should be eliminated. During her Senate confirmation hearing in February 2025, she supported downsizing the department and “return[ing] education to the states.” McMahon also called for some of the department’s tasks to be handled by other agencies. In addition, she expressed support for private school vouchers.

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Personal life

After marrying in 1966, Linda and Vince McMahon had two children, Shane and Stephanie McMahon. Both have been involved with WWE. In 2024 it was announced that Linda and Vince McMahon had separated.