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President-elect Donald Trump has announced key nominations for his upcoming administration, selecting Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and current transition co-chair, as his pick for Education Secretary. McMahon, a long-time Trump ally, previously served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term and has been a major donor to his campaigns.
Despite her limited experience in education, McMahon has been a staunch advocate for parents’ rights in her role as chair of the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute. Trump has pledged to dismantle the Department of Education, a task McMahon may oversee. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said McMahon would lead efforts to "send education BACK TO THE STATES," a move aligned with Republican goals to shift authority from federal agencies to state governments.
McMahon’s nomination comes amid controversy. She is named in a recent lawsuit alleging WWE leadership ignored abuse claims against a former ringside announcer, accusations her legal team has dismissed as baseless.
In another notable pick, Trump has tapped Dr. Mehmet Oz, the former TV host and surgeon, to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The agency oversees healthcare for over 150 million Americans and regulates policies impacting the cost of medical services.
Dr. Oz rose to fame as a celebrity physician on *The Oprah Winfrey Show* and later hosted *The Dr. Oz Show.* However, he has faced criticism for promoting unproven health remedies and alternative treatments. During the pandemic, he endorsed the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, drugs deemed ineffective against COVID-19 by experts.
Trump praised Oz as the ideal candidate to "make America healthy again" and tasked him with combating inefficiency in the nation’s largest healthcare programs, which cost over $1.4 trillion in 2023. Oz will work alongside Health Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address chronic diseases and healthcare reform.
Both nominations require Senate confirmation, with McMahon’s likely in the Republican-majority chamber. These selections reflect Trump’s continued preference for loyalists and high-profile figures as he prepares to return to the White House in January 2025.