East Carolina graduate and New Bern native Linda McMahon has one of the most unique jobs given to a department leader of President Donald Trump's administration.

Eliminate it.

"The Department of Education is not working as intended," she says of President Jimmy Carter's idea. "Since its creation in 1980, taxpayers have entrusted the department with over $1 trillion, yet student outcomes have consistently languished."

And that despite the marvels of the 21st century such as technology that has recast teaching and learning.

McMahon, 76, says her calling from the president is "our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students."

"It's an honor to serve as the 13th secretary of education under President Trump," McMahon wrote on social media. "The president pledged to make U.S. education the best in the world, return education to the states, and free students from bureaucracy through school choice. I intend to make good on those promises."

Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, writing on social media, said, "Another North Carolinian making tremendous strides. You'll do great!"

Republican U.S. Reps. Richard Hudson and Addison McDowell also added congratulatory posts on social media. Hudson said she's a "strong, experienced leader who will help make America's K-12 education great again!"

McMahon was appointed to Connecticut's State Board of Education in January 2009. She served 15 months.

McMahon was administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017-19 in Trump's first term. She's known for several roles – co-founder with separated husband Vince of Titan Sports that later became World Wrestling Entertainment, twice a former candidate for the U.S. Senate while living in Connecticut, support of Special Olympics, and numerous million-dollar philanthropic efforts including benefitting ECU.

The wrestling arena has led to the harshest critiques, from a federal steroids investigation of the industry 15-plus years ago to 2024's "ring boys" lawsuit accusation of negligence. Her lawyer, Laura Brevetti, is on record saying the civil litigation is "baseless," without truth, and has been probed by the FBI years ago with no findings to pursue prosecution.

She's drawn praise from school choice advocates.

According to the website for the department, "the secretary is responsible for the overall direction, supervision, and coordination of all activities of the department and is the principal adviser to the president on federal policies, programs, and activities related to education in the U.S." This means administering federal funding, students' access to education, schools complying with law, and issues such as Title IX.