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Trump noted McMahon's two years working on the Connecticut Board of Education when nominating her as the nation's top teacher.
“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand 'Choice' to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Trump said in a statement that promised she would be a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights.”
However, her new position could be a short-lived one. Trump has previously pledged to axe the Department of Education, blaming the agency for "indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material."
This could make McMahon the nation's last Secretary of Education.
The 76-year-old Connecticut businesswoman, best known as the co-founder and former CEO of WWE, served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2019.
McMahon has spent the last several years serving as chair of America First Action, a pro-Trump super PAC, and currently leads the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank filled with former Trump staffers seen as a White House staff in waiting. She also serves as a co-chair for the incoming president's transition team.
McMahon’s nomination comes amid a flurry of nominations over the past two weeks — many controversial.
Related: Trump Taps New York Billionaire To Head Commerce Department
The decision follows President-elect Donald Trump's earlier appointment of Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary. Trump also named TV host and heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday.
It's unclear if the Senate — which both McMahon and Oz lost their bids to join — will confirm Trump's picks or if he can circumvent the legislative body with recess selections.
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