The political career of Linda McMahon continues to develop, as the former WWE executive has been strongly linked to the administration of United States president-elect Donald Trump. McMahon, who served as president and CEO of WWE alongside husband Vince McMahon, has since run unsuccessfully for the United States Senate as a Republican.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Linda McMahon met with Trump at Trump Tower on Nov. 30. At that time, she didn’t rule out a position in Trump’s administration or cabinet. That same day, Politico reported that she was one of the “top contenders" to head up the Small Business Administration, a role that isn’t officially part of the president’s cabinet but is considered on a similar level.
Linda McMahon’s relationship with the Trump campaign has been something of a roller coaster. In March, she reportedly criticized Trump’s words on the campaign trail as “deplorable,” but she would later become one of his top donors in the fall.
Trump has, of course, had a lengthy relationship with the WWE. Chosen for the company’s Hall of Fame in 2013, Trump has appeared repeatedly on WWE programming, perhaps most notably as part of the Battle of the Billionaires storyline against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 23.
During the contentious 2016 presidential campaign that saw Trump, running as a Republican, eventually defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, the WWE stayed mostly away from the political fray. The programming did occasionally nod to the campaign, however, with Bob Backlund using a variation of Trump’s campaign slogan with his “Make Darren Young Great Again” angle. Bo Dallas could also be seen with a sign that was somewhat similar to those used by Trump.
