In a surprising move, the Senate has confirmed Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), as President Donald Trump's Secretary of Education. This appointment comes despite Trump's stated intention to shut down the department he now tasks McMahon with leading.

The Senate voted 51-45, largely along party lines, to confirm McMahon on Monday evening. This marks a return to public service for McMahon, who previously served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) under Trump before leaving in 2019 to rejoin the private sector.

McMahon's nomination and confirmation raise eyebrows given Trump's previous statements about the Department of Education. He has called it a "big con job," criticizing its high spending per pupil compared to other countries while achieving lower rankings in educational outcomes.

Despite these criticisms, McMahon expressed strong agreement with Trump's goal of abolishing the department, emphasizing the importance of returning control of education to individual states. In a letter to Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, she affirmed her commitment to this objective.

During her confirmation hearing, McMahon acknowledged the challenges facing the American education system, referring to it as a "system in decline." However, she also expressed optimism about the potential for improvement in the coming years.

In her opening remarks, McMahon outlined some of her priorities, including addressing discrimination against Jewish students, opposing the inclusion of biological males in women's sports, and upholding parental rights in their children's moral education.