New Education Secretary “Puts Herself Out of a Job”

March 10th, 2025

Elisa Ma

Despite Linda McMahon just being confirmed for her role as the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, when asked if the U.S. needs this department, McMahon replied, “No, we don’t.” With an agency lead not being certain on the prospects of her role, the future of American education faces great uncertainty.

Linda McMahon’s Experience

Linda McMahon was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-45 vote on March 3rd, entirely along party lines. McMahon is most known for her work in industry, notably, her co-founding of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and leadership until 2009.

While McMahon claims to have started her own higher education in training to become a teacher, her lack of an education degree has long drawn controversy, including for her previous one-year role on the 2009 Connecticut Board of Education.

From 2017 to 2019, during Trump’s first term, McMahon led the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which is under the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2019, she left the SBA to lead America First Action, a Pro-Trump political action committee.

Trump’s Plans for the Department of Education

President Trump has advocated for the shutting of the Department of Education, urging that education be left to the states. An executive order dismantling the department is still in the talks. However, since the department was created by an act of Congress in 1979, eliminating the Department of Education would likely require Congressional action.

Trump’s executive orders and the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency have already been weaponized to change the educational landscape. Staffers are being terminated and bought out, and protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity are being revoked.

What is On the Line

For bipartisanly popular programs, such as financial aid and programs for students with disabilities, the likely impact of dissolving the Department of Education is that efforts will be shifted to other departments. Trump has suggested that Federal Student Aid be shifted to the SBA, the agency McMahon previously headed. However, concerns do arise for how effectively different agencies will treat these programs.

The federal government pays for between 6 and 13% of public school funding, especially for programs targeted at students with special needs and lower-income communities. Removing the funding would also require Congressional action. As for curriculum, while the Trump administration may pressure schools to promote certain ideologies, it is already in the power of states to decide what is taught.

Conclusion

Now is the time to see what Congress will do to preserve checks and balances as the legislative branch pushes to dismantle the Department of Education. Although some programs will go untouched, others can undergo drastic changes due to policy and political pressure, leaving a lot of American education on the line.