During a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing on February 13, 2025, in Washington, DC, Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, testified.
The Senate confirmed Linda McMahon, the former wrestling industry executive, as the nation’s education chief, a position that places her in charge of a department President Trump has often criticized and pledged to dismantle.
In her new role, McMahon must navigate the dual challenges of reducing the Education Department’s influence while pushing forward Trump’s education objectives. Already, the Republican president has issued sweeping directives to eliminate diversity initiatives in schools and accommodations for transgender students, while advocating for expanded school choice programs.
Despite these plans, Trump has expressed intentions to eventually close the department and suggested McMahon should work herself out of a job.
The Senate confirmed McMahon by a 51-45 vote.
At 76, McMahon, who formerly served as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, is an atypical choice for this position. Her experience in education includes a stint on Connecticut’s state board of education and a long-term trustee role at Sacred Heart University, although she lacks extensive traditional education leadership credentials.
Supporters of McMahon view her as an adept executive capable of reforming a department criticized by Republicans for not advancing American education. Critics, however, worry that her lack of qualifications might result in budget cuts affecting students across the country.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., voiced concerns before the confirmation, highlighting the public’s commitment to education and the potential consequences of Trump administration budget cuts.
During her hearing, McMahon attempted to separate herself from Trump’s harsh statements. She emphasized her intent to streamline the Education Department’s operations, rather than defunding its programs.
McMahon recognized that only Congress could decide to close the department, pledging to maintain Title I funds for low-income schools, Pell grants, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. She also suggested that certain functions might be better suited to other departments, such as Health and Human Services, in handling disability rights laws.
Before McMahon’s confirmation, the White House contemplated an executive order directing the education secretary to reduce the agency as much as legally permissible, proposing Congress to completely dissolve it. Some of McMahon’s supporters urged the White House to delay the order to avoid backlash.
Established by Congress in 1979, the Education Department primarily manages funds for the nation’s schools and colleges, distributing billions to K-12 schools annually and overseeing a $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.
Trump claims the department has been dominated by liberals pushing their ideologies in American schools. Schools and colleges now face pressure to remove diversity programs or risk losing federal funding, with a compliance deadline set for February 28 by the Trump administration. The Education Department clarified its guidance, stating that merely changing program names linked to “diversity” or “equity” isn’t sufficient unless race-based different treatment is also addressed.
During his campaign, Trump vowed to dissolve the department, granting its authority to states, which already wield more educational power than the federal government due to limitations on influencing curricula. Federal funding accounts for about 14% of public school budgets.
The Trump administration has already begun overhauling much of the department’s work. Under Trump adviser Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has canceled numerous contracts termed as “woke” and wasteful, dismantled the Institute of Education Sciences, and dismissed or suspended many employees.
Some of these cuts interrupted federally mandated work. At her hearing, McMahon assured that the agency would follow Congressional spending directives and downplayed DOGE’s actions as an audit exercise.
A long-standing Trump ally, McMahon left WWE in 2009 to pursue a political career, running twice for the U.S. Senate without success. She has contributed millions to Trump’s campaigns and led the Small Business Administration during his first term.
