President-elect Donald Trump has announced Linda McMahon as his choice to lead the Department of Education, marking another bold move in his administration's push to reform federal oversight in education.
Donald Trump names Linda McMahon as U.S Secretary of Education. pic.twitter.com/FnPSu5hzxe
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) November 20, 2024
The announcement was made through a press release issued by the Trump-Vance Transition Team, highlighting McMahon’s qualifications and commitment to parental rights in education.
🚨 NEW: President Trump announces the nomination of @Linda_McMahon as Secretary of Education. pic.twitter.com/Se11G8N7jI
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 20, 2024
McMahon, the former Administrator of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has been a prominent advocate for school choice and decentralizing education policy.
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Trump praised her as a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights,” emphasizing her leadership roles and experience in education.
“It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education,” Trump said in the statement. “For the past four years, as the Chair of the Board at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Linda has been a fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights, working hard at both AFPI 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.”
Trump further outlined McMahon’s role in his administration’s vision of dismantling federal control over education and transferring decision-making authority to the states. “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 press release also detailed McMahon’s extensive background in education and business leadership. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education, overseeing public education and the state’s technical high school system, and held a position as a Trustee at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut for over 16 years.
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These experiences, Trump noted, position her well to implement his administration’s education goals.
“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 America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort,” the release stated.
Trump has long advocated for dismantling the Department of Education, arguing that returning control to state governments would improve outcomes and reduce inefficiencies.
During an X Spaces interview with Elon Musk in August, Trump reiterated his stance, noting that local control could lead to better results in most states. “If you moved education back to the 50 [states], you’ll have some that won’t do well … But they’ll actually be forced to do better because it’ll be a pretty bad situation,” Trump said.
“I’ll bet you’d have 30, 35 states [where education] will be much better. And you know what? It’ll cost less than half what it is in Washington.”
McMahon’s appointment comes as Trump continues to unveil his cabinet picks and policy priorities.
Her selection reflects the administration’s dedication to giving parents a voice, expanding school choice, and decentralizing education policy to state and local authorities.
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