Linda McMahon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda McMahon
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 13th United States Secretary of Education | |
| Assumed office March 3, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Miguel Cardona |
| 25th Administrator of the Small Business Administration | |
| In office February 14, 2017 – April 12, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Althea Coetzee |
| Preceded by | Maria Contreras-Sweet |
| Succeeded by | Jovita Carranza |
| Member of the Connecticut State Board of Education | |
| In office February 28, 2009 – April 1, 2010 |
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| Appointed by | Jodi Rell |
| Preceded by | Alice Carolan |
| Succeeded by | Pamela Partridge West |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Linda Marie Edwards
October 4, 1948 New Bern, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Relatives | McMahon family |
| Education | East Carolina University (BA) |
Linda Marie McMahon (born October 4, 1948) is an American politician and business leader. She is known for her work in professional wrestling and in government. Since 2025, she has served as the 13th United States Secretary of Education. Before that, she was the 25th Administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019.
McMahon, along with her husband, Vince McMahon, started a sports entertainment company called Titan Sports, Inc. This company later became World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.. She worked there as president and later as CEO from 1980 to 2009. During her time, the company grew from a small business to a large international company. She also started important community programs like Get R.E.A.L. and SmackDown! Your Vote.
In 2009, she left WWE to run for a seat in the United States Senate in Connecticut. She ran as a Republican but lost the election in 2010. She ran again in 2012 but also lost.
In 2016, Donald Trump nominated McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration. The Senate approved her nomination in 2017. She stepped down from this role in 2019 to work on President Trump's re-election campaign. In 2024, Donald Trump nominated her to be the Secretary of Education, and she was confirmed by the Senate in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Linda Marie Edwards was born in New Bern, North Carolina, on October 4, 1948. She grew up as an only child in a family with Welsh roots. Her parents both worked at a military base. Linda enjoyed playing sports like basketball and baseball. She was raised in a Baptist family but later became a Roman Catholic.
When she was 13, Linda met Vince McMahon, who was 16. They dated throughout high school. Vince spent a lot of time at her home, finding stability there.
Linda and Vince married on August 26, 1966, when she was 17 and he was 21. She started attending East Carolina University in 1966. She earned a bachelor's degree in French. Her studies were designed to prepare her to be a teacher. Their son, Shane, was born in 1970, and their daughter, Stephanie, was born in 1976.
Starting a Career
In 1969, the McMahons moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland. Linda worked as a receptionist at a law firm. She translated French documents and learned about legal work, including intellectual property rights.
For a few years, the couple faced financial challenges. They even received food stamps for a short time. In 1976, after some business ideas didn't work out, Linda and Vince filed for bankruptcy.
By 1979, Vince decided to promote wrestling events. He bought the Cape Cod Coliseum in Massachusetts and started Titan Sports, Inc. in 1980. The McMahons held small sporting events there, including wrestling. Linda helped Vince with the business side. She used her knowledge of intellectual property law to protect the company's trademarks.
In 1982, Vince McMahon's Titan Sports, Inc. bought the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) from his father. He then expanded the company by showing WWF events on national television. In 1983, the McMahons moved to Greenwich, Connecticut. They now have six grandchildren.
Leading World Wrestling Entertainment
Growing the Company
Linda McMahon helped start Titan Sports, Inc. in 1980. Many people in the company saw her as a co-leader. She became the company's president in 1993 and CEO in 1997. The company grew very quickly and changed the wrestling industry a lot. Some people called Linda and Vince "business geniuses" for their success.
Linda was very interested in selling company products, like toys and clothes. She made many business deals with other companies. In 1984, she created the company's first line of action figures called Wrestling Superstars. This was new for the wrestling industry and helped make the company popular with children. She also led the talks for the World Wrestling Federation's TV deal with Viacom in 2000.
Linda McMahon left her role as CEO of WWE on September 16, 2009. She left to run for a political office. However, she still owns a small part of WWE.
On-Screen Appearances
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Linda McMahon mostly worked behind the scenes in WWE's management. However, she did appear in some storylines on TV. She first appeared on WWF TV in 1999. She has said that she often didn't know what the storylines would be ahead of time.
Helping Communities Through WWE
Donations and Awards
Through WWE, the McMahons gave a lot of money to charity. They donated millions to The Donald J. Trump Foundation. They also gave money to schools like Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University. In 2006, they paid $2.5 million to build a tennis facility. Linda McMahon also served on the board of the Close Up Foundation, which helps young people visit Washington, D.C.
She joined the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in 2004. She supported many groups, including the USO and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2005, she joined the Make-A-Wish Foundation's National Advisory Council.
In 2007, Linda McMahon was named one of "Wonder Women" by Multichannel News. This award recognized her important work in the cable and telecommunications industries. She also spoke at a leadership breakfast for the Girl Scout Council.
Under her leadership, WWE received awards for supporting U.S. troops. In 2007, the company received the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award. In 2008, it received the GI Film Festival's Corporate Patriot Award. In 2012, Sacred Heart University named a new building the Linda E. McMahon Commons Building.
Get R.E.A.L. Program
McMahon started WWE's "Get R.E.A.L." program. This program shared positive messages about education with young people. It encouraged reading through public service announcements, posters, and bookmarks with wrestling superstars. The American Library Association reported that a WWF poster was its best-selling poster for two months in 2000.
SmackDown! Your Vote Campaign
McMahon also started WWE's "SmackDown! Your Vote" campaign in 2000. This program helped young people aged 18-30 register to vote. It used online marketing and public service announcements. The campaign registered 150,000 new voters in the 2000 election. It worked with groups like MTV's Choose or Lose and Rock the Vote.
Supporting Special Olympics
The McMahons began supporting the Special Olympics in 1986. Linda became interested in the Special Olympics through friends. In 1995, the Governor of Connecticut appointed Linda McMahon to the Governor's Council for the World Special Olympics.
Political Career
Connecticut Board of Education
In January 2009, Governor Jodi Rell appointed McMahon to the Connecticut State Board of Education. She served on the board for one year. She told lawmakers that she had always been interested in education and once planned to be a teacher.
The State Senate approved her nomination by a large vote. Some people had concerns about her WWE activities. However, others felt it would be good to have someone from outside the usual system on the board.
On April 1, 2010, McMahon resigned from the board. State law does not allow board members to ask for campaign donations.
Running for Senate
2010 U.S. Senate Campaign
On September 16, 2009, McMahon announced she would run for U.S. Senator for Connecticut. She said she would spend up to $50 million of her own money on her campaign. She promised lower taxes, careful spending, and job creation.
McMahon won the Republican primary election. She then faced Richard Blumenthal in the general election. She lost the election by about 11.8 percentage points.
2012 U.S. Senate Campaign
After her first loss, McMahon suggested she would run for Senate again in 2012. She stayed visible by appearing on TV and campaigning for other politicians. When Senator Joe Lieberman announced he would retire, McMahon became a favorite for the Republican Party in the 2012 election.
On September 20, 2011, she officially announced her candidacy. She won the endorsement of the state Republican Party. She defeated former congressman Chris Shays in the primary election. She spent $15.7 million of her own money on this campaign. She lost to Democratic U.S. representative Chris Murphy in the general election. This was her second loss in a row.
Political Donations
After her election losses, McMahon became a major fundraiser and donor for the Republican Party. She gave money to groups like American Crossroads.
She also donated to Donald Trump's political campaigns. After Trump appeared at WrestleMania 23 in 2007, the McMahons donated $5 million to the Donald J. Trump Foundation. In 2016, McMahon donated $6 million to Rebuilding America Now, a group that supported Donald Trump for president.
Administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017–2019)
Nomination and Approval
On December 7, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced he would nominate McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA).
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Before her approval, people looked at McMahon's past work. Some wondered about possible conflicts of interest because she still owned WWE stock. The Senate confirmation hearing began on January 24, 2017. Her nomination was approved by a Senate committee on February 1. The full Senate confirmed her on February 14 by a vote of 81 to 19.
Her Time in Office
McMahon officially became the 25th Administrator of the Small Business Administration on February 14, 2017.
In an interview in June 2017, McMahon said her goal was to help small businesses learn how to grow and get investors. She noted that the SBA faced budget cuts and changes. She worked to merge some programs that were doing similar things.
Later in 2017, she visited 68 cities to talk with small business owners. She also supported a new tax law backed by President Trump. On her first anniversary as SBA head, The Washington Post said her progress had been "so far, so good." They praised her for improving the SBA's emergency call centers after Hurricane Harvey and hiring more staff.
On March 29, 2019, McMahon announced she would resign from the SBA. She left her role on April 12, 2019, to lead America First Action, a group that supported Trump's re-election.
Working for Trump's Campaigns (2019–2025)
America First Action, the group McMahon chaired, helped raise $83 million for Trump's re-election campaign in 2020. McMahon also chairs the board for the America First Policy Institute. She later joined Howard Lutnick as co-chair of Trump's team preparing for his second presidency.
Secretary of Education (2025–present)
Nomination and Approval
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As part of her role on the transition team, Donald Trump nominated her to lead the Department of Education on November 19, 2024.
On March 3, 2025, the Senate confirmed McMahon as United States secretary of education. The vote was 51 to 45.
Her Time in Office
Linda McMahon was sworn in as the 13th United States Secretary of Education on March 3, 2025.
Philanthropy
In 2012, McMahon donated $5 million to Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. The university then opened a new student building and named it the Linda E. McMahon Student Commons. As of 2023, she has been on the university's Board of Trustees for over 14 years.
In April 2023, Sacred Heart University honored McMahon at a scholarship event. Her interest in education was also seen in her work at WWE. In 2000, she started the "GET REAL" campaign. This program aimed to share positive messages about education and reading with young adults. It used public service announcements, posters, and bookmarks that featured WWE stars.
Election Results
- Primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Linda E. McMahon | 60,479 | 49 | |
| Republican | Rob Simmons | 34,011 | 28 | |
| Republican | Peter Schiff | 27,831 | 23 | |
| Total votes | 122,321 | 100 | ||
| United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2010 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Richard Blumenthal | 605,204 | 52.48% | -13.88% | |
| Working Families | Richard Blumenthal | 30,836 | 2.68% | N/A | |
| Total | Richard Blumenthal | 636,040 | 55.16% | -11.20% | |
| Republican | Linda E. McMahon | 498,341 | 43.22% | +11.08% | |
| Independent | Warren B. Mosler | 11,275 | 0.98% | N/A | |
| Independent | John Mertens | 6,735 | 0.58% | N/A | |
| Write-in | 724 | 0.06% | N/A | ||
| Total votes | 1,153,115 | 100.0% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Linda E. McMahon | 83,413 | 73 | |
| Republican | Chris Shays | 31,305 | 27 | |
| Total votes | 114,718 | 100 | ||
| United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2012 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Chris Murphy | 792,983 | 52.45% | +12.72% | |
| Working Families | Chris Murphy | 35,778 | 2.37% | N/A | |
| Total | Chris Murphy | 828,761 | 54.82% | +15.09% | |
| Republican | Linda McMahon | 604,569 | 39.99% | +30.37% | |
| Independent | Linda McMahon | 46,520 | 3.08% | N/A | |
| Total | Linda McMahon | 651,089 | 43.07% | +33.45% | |
| Libertarian | Paul Passarelli | 25,045 | 1.66% | N/A | |
| Write-in | 6,869 | 0.45% | +0.45% | ||
| Total votes | 1,511,764 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
See also
In Spanish: Linda McMahon para niños
