Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements
Federal Explainer

Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements

By Education Week Library Staff — March 04, 2025 | Updated: September 19, 2025 2 min read
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. McMahon is now the nation's 13th secretary of education.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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Biographical Information: McMahon grew up in New Bern, North Carolina. She attended East Carolina University and studied to become a French teacher, but never taught. Instead, she co-founded and led World Wrestling Entertainment with her husband. In 2009, she was appointed to the Connecticut board of education. She resigned a year later to begin her first of two unsuccessful campaigns to represent Connecticut in the U.S. Senate. McMahon previously led the Small Business Administration during President Donald Trump’s first term, serving from 2017 to 2019. She stepped down from the SBA to lead the America First Action PAC in support of President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. She serves on the board of Sacred Heart University, a Catholic university in Connecticut.

Serving Under: President Donald J. Trump

Dates of Tenure: 2025-Present

Fun Fact: McMahon finished college in three years so that she could graduate at the same time as her husband.

Archives of Note:

Wrestling Executive on Conn. Board
The chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has garnered a spot on the Connecticut board of education. Linda McMahon was nominated by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell to a seat on the 11-member board and approved last month by state lawmakers. (March 2, 2009)

Trump’s Education Secretary Pick Is Linda McMahon, Former WWE CEO
McMahon led the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term and is co-chair of the president-elect’s transition team. (Nov. 19, 2024)

5 Things to Know About Linda McMahon, Trump’s Pick for Education Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump’s selection, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has long spoken favorably about school choice. (Nov. 20, 2024)

The K-12 World Reacts to Linda McMahon, Trump’s Choice for Education Secretary
Some question her lack of experience in education, while supporters say her business background is a major asset. (Nov. 20, 2024)

What’s in the Lawsuit That Alleges Linda McMahon Failed to Protect Children
The lawsuit filed by former World Wrestling Entertainment “ring boys” alleges that the organization’s leaders, including McMahon, were aware of and didn’t stop a longtime ringside announcer from sexually abusing young boys. (Dec. 2, 2024)

Here’s How Much Linda McMahon’s Foundation Has Donated to Education Causes
The president-elect’s pick for education secretary has long given to education causes through her family foundation. (Dec. 5, 2024)

5 Key Takeaways From Linda McMahon’s Confirmation Hearing
President Trump’s education secretary nominee pledged to maintain school funding even as she works to end the U.S. Department of Education. (Feb. 13, 2025)

Linda McMahon Is Confirmed by Senate as Education Secretary
The former wrestling mogul will become the nation’s 13th secretary of education, and she has pledged to be its last. (March 3, 2025)

Trump Order Tells Linda McMahon to ‘Facilitate’ Education Department’s Closure
An executive order the president signed directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to prepare the 45-year-old agency for shutdown. (March 20, 2025)

Defending Ed. Dept. Cuts, Linda McMahon Says It’s Time to ‘Do Something Different’
Linda McMahon told ed-tech entrepreneurs she wants to cut bureaucracy but keep key federal funds flowing to schools. (April 8, 2025)

Linda McMahon Says ‘We Have to Teach How to Disagree’ After Charlie Kirk Killing
The education secretary’s conciliatory tone contrasted with others in the Trump administration amid the furor over the activist’s murder. (Sept. 18, 2025)

Education Week Library Staff
Work published under this byline was created by staffers of the Education Week Library. They can be reached at library@educationweek.org.
Related Tags:
Linda McMahon Secretary of Education Department of Education

Additional Resources
A short biography from the U.S. Department of Education

How to Cite This Article
Education Week Library Staff. (2025, March 4). Linda McMahon, U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements. Education Week. Retrieved Month Day, Year from https://www-edweek-org.ezproxy.baylor.edu/policy-politics/linda-mcmahon-u-s-education-secretary-background-and-achievements/2025/03

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