Linda McMahon May Be America's Last Education Secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has named the next—and possibly the nation's last—education secretary.

Trump on Tuesday night announced the pick on Truth Social, his social media platform, saying in part, "Linda has been a fierce advocate for Parents' Rights, working hard at both AFPI [America First Policy Institute] and America First Works (AFW) to achieve Universal School Choice in 12 States, giving children the opportunity to receive an excellent Education, regardless of zip code or income."

"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 added.

The decision was reportedly pulled together shortly after Howard Lutnick was tapped to lead the Commerce Department, a position for which McMahon was gunning.

Who Is Linda McMahon?

McMahon, who served as a co-chair of Trump's transition team, also played a role in the first Trump administration, leading the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019. Since leaving government, she has led the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action and served as a board chair of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank formed by Trump allies following his 2020 election loss.

She is also a major Republican donor, having donated more than $7 million to two pro-Trump super PACs during his first presidential campaign.

McMahon served a year on the Connecticut state Board of Education between 2009 and 2010.

In 2000, she was credited with initiating the World Wrestling Entertainment's GET REAL program to promote educational values among young adults. This program aimed to foster literacy through Public Service Announcements, posters and bookmarks that showcased wrestling superstars.

What Is Linda McMahon's Education?

McMahon grew up in New Bern, North Carolina, and attended Havelock High School. She received her bachelor's degree in French from East Carolina University in 1969, according to an alumni page from the school.

McMahon Co-Founded WWE

McMahon and her husband, Vince McMahon, are the co-founders of World Wrestling Entertainment. She was previously the CEO of WWE but stepped down in 2009 to run for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut as the Republican nominee in 2010. She was defeated by Democrat Richard Blumenthal in the 2010 general election. McMahon became the Republican nominee for Connecticut's other Senate seat in the 2012 race before she lost to Democrat Chris Murphy.

On her 2010 campaign website, she stated, "I support competition and choice through charter schools. As a former member of the Connecticut State School Board, improving public education is very dear to my heart. I am a strong supporter of the secondary school reform. We must require high standards and accountability for teachers and school administrators, and I support the current review of the teacher evaluation process that the State Board is undertaking. I believe in local control. I am an advocate for choice through charter schools."

Will the Department of Education Get Cut Under Project 2025 and Trump?

Trump had vowed to "move education back to the states" during his campaign and doubled down on those comments since winning the presidency, saying the department's closure would come "very early" in his second administration.

Still, shutting down the Department of Education (DOE) would require congressional approval, meaning Trump would likely need a supermajority vote in the Senate—60—and therefore support from Democrats as well. The chamber has 53 GOP-held seats to 47 held by Democrats.

Is McMahon the Last Secretary of Education?

"Whoever is appointed [to be education secretary] will be very clear indication of the direction that the administration plans to go in," Stephanie Smith Lee, former director of the Office of Special Education Programs, told Newsweek ahead of the announcement. The OSEP is part of the DOE. Lee served in the George W. Bush administration.

Paul Reville, a former Massachusetts education secretary, told Newsweek that it's not essential for a leader in McMahon's role to have a "deep briefing in the field," but will have to do what is ordered by the commander in chief.

"We've had people in that role before who weren't seasoned educators," he said on Wednesday. "So it's not necessarily a requirement to do the job. The mandate that that person gets from the president—relative to what the executive branch wants to happen—will be more important."

Betsy DeVos, who served in the position during the first Trump administration, was one of his longest-serving Cabinet officials. She held the position from the beginning of his first term until the day after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, when she resigned, saying the attack overshadowed the administration's accomplishments. She was well known for her support of school choice and school voucher programs, which allow parents to take federal funds and use them for alternative schools. DeVos was also a proponent of charter schools.

The DOE's biggest responsibility is to distribute federal education funds that supplement state resources and fund a variety of programs, including many for low-income students and special education students.

The proposed closure of the department is aimed at curbing what Trump argues is federal overreach and a misuse of taxpayer dollars. During the 2024 fiscal year, the DOE was allocated less than 2 percent of the federal budget, or $238 billion.

Update 11/19/24, 9:27 p.m. ET: This article was updated with Trump's post on Truth Social.