Linda McMahon Nominated For Small Business Administration Director
Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The businesswoman is the co-founder of the Connecticut-based pro wrestling organization with husband Vince, the impresario who is more well-known to fans for his antics in front of the camera as well as behind the scenes.
“McMahon presently advises global businesses as part of APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council and is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Women’s Leadership LIVE, LLC, a company that uses live events and ongoing mentorships to educate and inspire women to launch and expand their own businesses, advance their careers toward executive roles, and pursue opportunities for leadership in public service,” The Daily Caller reported.
A longtime fan of the WWE, Donald Trump is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame since his 2013 induction, probably the only U.S. president that will ever achieve that particular distinction.
It probably didn’t hurt Linda’s chances to obtain a federal position after the McMahons donated $6 million to a pro-Trump super PAC (political election committee) last fall.
Trump hosted Wrestlemania IV and V at the now-shuttered Trump Plaza in Atlantic City in the late 1980s and also engaged in make-believe feud (unlike his real ones during the presidential campaign) that “became a featured storyline at WrestleMania” in 2007, Rolling Stone noted about the “battle of the billionaires” that culminated in a hair-vs.-hair match.
McMahon was also apparently considered for the job of Commerce Secretary in the incoming Trump administration. “If confirmed by the Senate, McMahon would join a Trump economic team that includes Wall Street executives Steven Mnuchin at the Treasury Department and Wilbur Ross at Commerce,” Reuters explained. These nominees probably will encounter little resistance in the Senate, unlike some of Trump’s more controversial picks.
A Republican, Linda McMahon twice unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate from Connecticut, first in 2010 against Richard Blumenthal and then in 2012 against Chris Murphy (neither of whom had any business experience), spending a lot of cash — about $100 million — in the process.
In a statement, Trump had this to say about the McMahon nomination, according to the New York Post.
“My America First agenda is going to bring back our jobs and roll back the burdensome regulations that are hurting our middle class workers and small businesses. To help push our agenda forward, I am pleased to nominate Linda McMahon as the head of the Small Business Administration. Linda has a tremendous background and is widely recognized as one of the country’s top female executives advising businesses around the globe. She helped grow WWE from a modest 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees in offices worldwide.”
The former WWE exec started out the election season supporting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and during the intervening months — like many GOP insiders — slammed, as it were, Trump’s controversial remarks, although she supported him once the primaries wrapped up and obviously into the general election.
Today, upon the appointment being made official, she said that “Our small businesses are the largest source of job creation in our country. I am honored to join the incredibly impressive economic team that President-elect Trump has assembled to ensure that we promote our country’s small businesses and help them grow and thrive.”
Honored to be appointed by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as head of @SBAgov advocating for our small businesses & entrepreneurs!
— Linda McMahon (@Linda_McMahon) December 7, 2016
“The SBA has an office in every state and helps with financing and training for small businesses and entrepreneurs,” CNBC detailed
Linda McMahon, 68, and Trump reportedly see eye to on the importance in their view of significantly cutting the corporate tax rate to encourage business expansion and the repatriation of corporate cash parked overseas. They also both favor eliminating government red tape that holds back business.
Do you think the appointment of Linda McMahon to run the Small Business Administration will be an assistance to Donald Trump’s job-creation efforts?
[Featured Image by Jessica Hill/AP Images]
