WWE fans react to Trump picking ‘totally unqualified’ Linda McMahon as education secretary

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Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon’s ex-wife, to be his education secretary for his next administration, a move that has wrestling fans confused.

Trump’s shock victory over Kamala Harris in the US election has seen the Republican make a number of controversial appointments to his new cabinet, including Marco Rubio, Elon Musk and Pete Hegseth.

Trump announced Tuesday night that McMahon, his transition chairman and former head of the Small Business Administration, would take the post.

“For the past four years, as the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) Board Chair, Linda has been a fierce advocate for parents’ rights, working hard with both AFPI and America First Works (AFW) to achieve Universal School Choice in 12 states, which gives children the opportunity to receive an excellent education, regardless of zip code or income,” Trump said in a statement.

“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.”

McMahon, 76, is perhaps best known to many for her role at WWE, where she served as president and CEO from 1980 to 2009 alongside her ex-husband Vince. Washington Post reports that the couple is currently separated.

During her time with WWE, Linda was a frequent on-screen presence and featured in many storylines, often with Vince and their children, Shane and Stephanie.

Although she never had a match, Linda sometimes got physical in the ring, taking big hits from the likes of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Kane, the latter of whom is now the mayor of Knox County under his real name, Glenn Jacobs.

In response to the nomination, WWE fans have shared jokes and clips about McMahon’s time with the wrestling company to illustrate how bizarre her career has been.

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“Fun fact: Linda McMahon will be the first education minister to survive a Stone Cold Stunner,” one fan joked.

Another person added: “Linda McMahon was terrible at taking the Stone Cold Stunner and for this reason I think she is completely unqualified to be Education Secretary.”

A third said: “Linda McMahon became the first Minister of Education to be a playable character in WWF No Mercy for Nintendo 64.”

Vince McMahon is currently facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct and human trafficking from a former employee named Janel Grant, who claims that McMahon raped her and forced her into sexual acts with other men, from 2019 to 2022.

Another lawsuit also involving Linda alleges that Melvin Phillips, who died in 2012, would target young men from disadvantaged backgrounds and hire them as “ring boys” to help prepare for wrestling matches. Phillips would then assault them in his locker room, hotels and even in wrestlers’ locker rooms, according to the complaint, which was filed on behalf of five men.