The Senate voted Monday to confirm former WWE executive Linda McMahon as the nation’s education secretary.
McMahon, 76, now faces the challenge of downsizing the Education Department while advancing Trump’s agenda, which includes eliminating diversity programs and promoting school choice. Despite Trump’s calls to dismantle the department entirely, McMahon assured lawmakers she intends to make it “operate more efficiently,” rather than defund critical programs.
The Senate confirmed McMahon by a 51-45 vote. A billionaire businesswoman with little to no education policy experience, McMahon has served on Connecticut’s state board of education and is a trustee at Sacred Heart University. Her supporters view her as a capable leader, while critics argue she is unqualified and fears sweeping budget cuts that will harm schools nationwide.
“Americans believe in public education,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “They don’t want to see the Department of Education abolished.”
McMahon pledged to protect key funding for low-income schools and college students but suggested some responsibilities could shift to other agencies. Meanwhile, Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has already slashed contracts and gutted research initiatives, moves critics say undermine federal education oversight.
McMahon previously led the Small Business Administration and has donated millions to Trump’s presidential campaigns. Much like him, she has faced her share of controversy. In October 2024, she was sued alongside her husband, WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, for ignoring countless instances of sexual assault. The plaintiffs stated that while working as “ring boys” in the 1980s and 1990s, they were abused by a WWE employee, with Linda and Vince allegedly knowing about the assaults. Both are accused of failing to intervene, despite the boys being teenagers at the time.
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