"Vince on his way to become Diddler of Defense"- Memes erupt online as Trump elects former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as Education Secretary
Donald Trump’s latest cabinet addition is former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, who he elected as the Secretary of the Education Department on Tuesday. Linda is also the former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, serving in that position from 2017 to 2019.
As reported by AP, Linda is not a newcomer to the American education system, as she was a Connecticut Board of Education member in 2009. Despite serving in that position for only a year, Linda expressed her longstanding interest in education at the time. She also shared her dream of becoming a teacher which couldn’t be fulfilled after her marriage to Vince McMahon.
Although Linda was not directly involved in the education system, she provided financial support to several institutions, including Sacred Heart University, where she was a board of trustees member.
However, like every other Cabinet pick by Trump in recent weeks since his election victory on November 5, Linda McMahon's selection prompted reactions from netizens. Many responded to the news with Vince McMahon memes.
"Vince on his way to become diddler of defense", joked one X user.
One X user seemingly took a dig at Trump's overall Cabinet picks amid news of Linda McMahon's inclusion.
"You cannot convince me we’re not living in a simulation rn", wrote one person.
"Wrestling history class mandatory for elementary thru middle school", joked another.
Although Linda has been working in politics for over 10 years now, many recognize her as someone with ties to the wrestling world. This led some netizens to question her efficiency in managing the Education Department.
"What does she know about education?", commented one.
"This whole election seems like a f***ing SNL skit wtf", said another.
Linda McMahon had two unsuccessful attempts at running for the U.S. Senate
After stepping into politics from the world of wrestling, Linda McMahon self-funded her campaign to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate from Connecticut in 2010. However, it resulted in a loss to Democratic party member Richard Blumenthal. Linda reportedly spent $50.1 million in that campaign.
In 2012, Linda ran again for the Senate seat, reportedly spending $48.7 million, but lost again to another Democrat, Chris Murphy. CNN reports that Trump had donated $5,000 to her 2012 campaign, as tracked by a nonprofit organization, Open Secrets.
Regardless of her defeat, both Chris and Richard commended Linda’s expertise. Chris Murphy praised her as a "talented and experienced businessperson". Richard Blumenthal recognized Linda as "a person of serious accomplishment and ability".
Linda was announced to serve as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration in 2016. She also financed $6 million to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run.
While announcing Linda McMahon as the new Education Secretary, Trump wrote in his 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."
The president-elect further praised Linda McMahon's contribution as the current co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team.