0President-elect Donald Trump has announced his nomination of Linda McMahon - co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and a longtime ally - as his pick for US Secretary of Education.
McMahon, who served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) during Trump's first term, was chosen due to her "decades of leadership experience" and her deep understanding of business, according to Trump’s statement on Truth Social.
Trump emphasised that McMahon would work to "empower the next generation of American students and workers," leveraging her broad business acumen to reform the education system.
McMahon, 75, has been a major supporter of Trump, donating millions to his campaigns and serving as co-chair for his transition team after the 2020 election.
Her nomination, however, has sparked questions due to her limited background in education policy. While McMahon served on the Connecticut state board of education from 2009 to 2010, her experience in educational leadership is far outweighed by her extensive tenure in the business world. McMahon co-founded WWE in 1980 with her husband, Vince McMahon, and remained at the helm until 2009. She stepped down from her role at WWE to focus on her Senate run, which ended unsuccessfully in 2010.
Despite these concerns, Trump’s announcement follows a familiar pattern in his cabinet appointments, which have largely prioritized loyalists with personal and political ties over traditional qualifications. McMahon is also the chair of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank that champions conservative policies aligned with Trump’s ideology, further bolstering her chances for Senate confirmation.
In his statement, Trump touted McMahon’s advocacy for "Parents’ Rights" and emphasized her goal of "sending education BACK TO THE STATES," aligning with his long-standing promise to abolish the Department of Education. McMahon’s nomination will likely face scrutiny in the Senate, but with Republicans holding a majority, her confirmation seems all but assured.
Alongside McMahon’s nomination, Trump also selected Mehmet Oz, a celebrity doctor and former television host, to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Oz, known for his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and his own talk show The Dr. Oz Show, has faced significant criticism throughout his career for promoting unproven medical treatments and controversial health advice. Despite this, Trump called Oz “one of the most qualified” individuals to reform the nation's healthcare system, particularly its large-scale government-run programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Oz, who trained as a cardiothoracic surgeon, was widely criticized during the COVID-19 pandemic for promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the virus, a stance that has since been debunked by health experts. Additionally, his public endorsement of alternative medicine and weight loss products has earned him widespread criticism in medical circles.
In his statement, Trump lauded Oz for his potential to “cut waste and fraud” within CMS, a vital agency that oversees the healthcare of millions of Americans. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulates health insurance and determines the reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals, plays a key role in the U.S. healthcare system. With government spending on these programs reaching over $1.4 trillion in 2023, Trump’s goal of reducing inefficiencies and expanding access to healthcare could face significant challenges.
