Trump Selects WWE Co-Founder Linda McMahon for Education Secretary and TV Doctor Mehmet Oz, for Medicaid
Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon, co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and his transition co-chair, as the Secretary of Education.
McMahon, a longtime ally of Trump, previously served as head of the Small Business Administration during his first presidency and has contributed significantly to his presidential campaigns. Trump praised her leadership and business acumen, emphasizing her potential to empower the next generation of students and workers.
This move aligns with Trump’s criticism of the Department of Education, which he has vowed to eliminate—a task McMahon might oversee.
McMahon’s selection has raised eyebrows due to her limited experience in education. Her only prior involvement in the field was a brief stint on Connecticut’s state board of education from 2009 to 2010.
However, her current role as board chair of the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, likely strengthens her confirmation prospects in the Republican-majority Senate. Trump highlighted her advocacy for parents’ rights and her commitment to transferring education authority back to the states as central to her new role.
A controversial figure, McMahon is entangled in a lawsuit alleging that WWE leadership, including her and her husband, allowed abuse by a ringside announcer. Both McMahon and her husband deny the allegations, dismissing them as baseless and defamatory.
Despite these legal challenges, McMahon’s deep ties to Trump and her loyalty to his agenda appear to have secured her nomination.
Trump also selected Mehmet Oz, a celebrity doctor and former television host, to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Oz’s background as a cardiothoracic surgeon and his fame from The Dr. Oz Show are well-known, but his promotion of unproven health remedies has drawn criticism.
Trump praised Oz’s qualifications, touting his ability to “Make America Healthy Again” and tasking him with addressing systemic inefficiencies within CMS.
Oz’s role will involve overseeing the U.S.’s largest healthcare programs, Medicare and Medicaid, which serve over 150 million Americans and cost $1.4 trillion annually. The agency plays a pivotal role in regulating health insurance and determining payment policies for medical services.
Trump has tasked Oz with cutting waste and increasing transparency while expanding healthcare access and reducing prescription drug costs. Oz will require Senate confirmation to assume the position officially.
Oz’s career has been marked by a mix of medical expertise and controversial endorsements. On The Dr. Oz Show, he often blurred the lines between science and promotion, advocating for alternative treatments and supplements that critics labeled as pseudoscience.
He was notably criticized during a 2014 Senate hearing for endorsing unproven weight-loss products, although he denied financial ties to specific supplements on-air. Financial disclosures during his 2022 Senate campaign revealed his broader ties to healthcare companies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz faced backlash for promoting hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as treatments, despite scientific evidence showing their ineffectiveness. Despite this, Trump’s confidence in Oz reflects a broader theme of prioritizing loyalty and visibility in his cabinet appointments, a trend also seen with McMahon’s nomination.
Trump’s cabinet choices underscore his reliance on individuals with strong personal ties and public prominence. Both McMahon and Oz exemplify this strategy, bringing unique yet controversial credentials to their respective roles. McMahon’s business background contrasts sharply with her lack of educational experience, while Oz’s medical expertise is tempered by his history of promoting dubious health claims.
These appointments have sparked debate over the balance between qualifications and allegiance in shaping public policy. McMahon’s task of dismantling the Department of Education, coupled with Oz’s mission to reform CMS, signals Trump’s intent to implement significant changes in education and healthcare.
Critics argue that these choices prioritize loyalty over expertise, while supporters view them as bold moves to challenge entrenched systems.
The nominations reflect Trump’s broader agenda to reshape government institutions by placing trusted allies in key positions. Both McMahon and Oz represent unconventional picks with substantial influence in their fields, albeit with contentious legacies.
Their appointments are likely to face scrutiny, both during Senate confirmations and as they navigate their new roles.
