Donald Trump has picked World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder Linda McMahon as his nominee for education secretary, continuing his trend of nominating unconventional figures to top positions.
Linda McMahon has been one of Trump’s closest allies in recent years. She acted as Trump’s Small Business Administration (SBA) chief during his previous term in the White House, and after leaving the administration she immediately started a Trump Super PAC, which raised almost $83 million for the 2020 election.
As well as getting the education secretary nod, Linda McMahon is also the co-chair of Trump’s transition team, working to create a plan for governing once the president-elect takes office on 20 January 2025.
McMahon may have the dubious honour of having to eradicate her own department from January: Trump has criticised the Department of Education and promised to close it down – a job McMahon could be tasked with as education secretary.
Many have painted Linda McMahon as a relatively moderate member of Trump’s inner …