The US Department of Education will be headed by Linda McMahon, a 76-year-old former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and key member of the 2024 presidential campaign in president-elect Donald Trump.

Trump had previously vowed to abolish the education department but has apparently had a change of mind and has nominated McMahon, whom he described as a “fierce advocate for Parents’s Rights”, to the top post.

“We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead this effort,” Trump said in a statement on Tuesday (November 19).

McMahon co-heads Trump’s transition team which is tasked to fill up some 4,000 positions in the government.

Trump defended his choice for the job as he cited McMahon’s two-year stint on the Connecticut Board of Education and 16 years membership to the board of the Sacred heart University, a Catholic school.

McMahon had been credited for the growth of the WWE which she headed as president and later CEO from 1980-2009. Previously known as Titan Sports and later WWE, tghe enterprise was founded by her husband Vince McMahon.

She resigned in 2009 to run for the Senate but lost to Democrat Richard Blumenthal in the 2010 senatorial race. Another attempt in 2012 also proved futile as she lost to Democrat Chris Murphy.

An avid supporter of Trump’s presidency, she was appointed administrator of the Small Business Administration in 2016 but later assumed new responsibilities in Trump’s re-election bid.