Linda McMahon moves closer to running Education Department
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Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for Education Secretary, successfully navigated through her committee evaluation on Thursday, moving one step closer to a final confirmation vote in the Senate.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved McMahon’s nomination with all 12 Republican members voting in favor, while the committee’s 11 Democrats opposed her advancement.
During her February 13 confirmation hearing, McMahon, the 76-year-old former Small Business Administration leader, carefully addressed questions about Trump’s stated intention to eliminate the Education Department. She emphasized the need for a collaborative approach, stating, “We’d like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with, and our Congress could get on board with, that would have a better functioning Department of Education.”
If we’re going to change the trajectory of education in America, @Linda_McMahon is exactly the right person to lead the charge. pic.twitter.com/fnis0PUaq4
— Congresswoman Erin Houchin (@RepHouchin) February 20, 2025
McMahon clarified that dissolving the department would require congressional action rather than executive authority. She expressed her commitment to implementing Trump’s executive orders regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports, combating campus antisemitism, and eliminating DEI programs.
Despite Trump characterizing the agency as a “con job” and suggesting McMahon should work toward eliminating her own position, she assured lawmakers that crucial programs like Title I funding, Pell Grants, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness would continue.
The Department of Government Efficiency, under Elon Musk’s oversight, has already begun reviewing Education Department expenditures, identifying potential cuts exceeding $1 billion and initiating staff reductions, including a $900 million reduction in funding for student progress monitoring.
Republicans cite declining national test scores and America’s dropping global education rankings as evidence for needed departmental reform. Meanwhile, Democrats, including Senator Chris Murphy, oppose the nomination, arguing that McMahon’s agenda threatens public education.
MIC DROP from @SenMullin @MarkwayneMullin during today's nomination vote for @Linda_McMahon:
"My kids all go to the public school system. My mother was a special ed teacher. My sisters, special ed teachers, my grandmother, my aunt, and my brother-in-law, all in school system.… pic.twitter.com/cZEV8PdtPi
— Brian Jodice (@afcpress) February 20, 2025
The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters referencing McMahon’s WWE background, with one demonstrator invoking Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s catchphrase to criticize her proposed changes to disability education programs.
McMahon has proposed transferring the enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to Health and Human Services, sparking additional controversy around her nomination.
As of Thursday noon, McMahon’s nomination joins the 18 other Trump cabinet nominees already confirmed by the Senate, with four remaining pending.
