While some of Trump's previous administration picks have raised an eyebrow or two in the past two weeks, his choice of Linda McMahon, pro wrestling mogul and wife of WWE legend Vince McMahon, to head the Small Business Administration will likely be his most scrutizined yet.
McMahon had previously been floated as a potential appointee due to her ties to GOP causes and Trump personally, as well as Trump's history of appearances at WWE pro wrestling events.
McMahon, who lives in Connecticut, is a veteran of the state's board of education. She also ran for Senate as a Republican in the state twice, losing to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) in 2010 and Sen. Chris Murphy (D) in 2012.
Here is the full statement from the Trump team:
President-Elect Donald J. Trump Intends to Nominate Linda McMahon to Serve as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration
(New York, NY) — President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate Linda McMahon to serve as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, a cabinet-level position.
"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," said President-elect Trump. "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. Linda is going to be a phenomenal leader and champion for small businesses and unleash America's entrepreneurial spirit all across the country."
"Our small businesses are the largest source of job creation in our country," said Ms. McMahon. "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."
Ms. McMahon advises global businesses as part of APCO Worldwide's International Advisory Council. She 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.
Ms. McMahon is a co-founder and former chief executive officer of WWE, based in Stamford, Connecticut
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And here is Trump with Linda's husband, during more frivolous times.