This Time, Controversy Over US Education Secretary Nominee... Allegations of Ignoring Sexual Abuse During WWE Management

WP Reports Lawsuit Against Linda McMahon, Nominee for Education Secretary
Victims Claim "Sexual Abuse by Senior Staff... McMahon Couple Ignored It"

Noise continues to surround the cabinet appointments of President-elect Donald Trump. This time, Linda McMahon, the nominee for Secretary of Education, has been embroiled in allegations that she turned a blind eye to sexual abuse issues in the American professional wrestling industry in the past.

On the 19th (local time), the Washington Post (WP) reported that Linda, who co-founded World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) with her husband Vince, was sued last month by former employees. The lawsuit was filed by five individuals who worked as ring boys decades ago.

Linda McMahon is giving a speech. Photo by Yonhap News.

They claim that the McMahon couple knew about the sexual abuse by high-ranking WWE officials but failed to take adequate protective measures. It is known that they were teenagers at the time of the incidents.

The alleged incidents occurred during the era of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), the predecessor of WWE, from the 1970s to the early 1990s.

Separately, Vince McMahon, Linda’s husband, is also under investigation for sexual abuse and human trafficking charges. Earlier this year, Vince was sued for sexual harassment by a woman who worked at WWE. She also claimed that Vince forced WWE officials to have sexual relations. Vince was embroiled in a sex scandal in 2022 as well, and it was reported that he paid money to cover it up, which sparked controversy.

The McMahon couple, who founded WWE in 1980 by incorporating entertainment elements into professional wrestling, are considered longtime close associates of President-elect Trump. Trump gained fame in 2007 by staging a “billionaire battle” at the event match “WrestleMania 23,” where he and Vince each appointed proxies to compete, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

Linda ran WWE with her husband before entering politics in 2009. She ran twice for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012 but was defeated both times.

She later built a close relationship with Trump by donating large sums during his 2016 presidential campaign and served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2019.

In this election as well, she raised campaign funds for Trump’s re-election and served as co-chair of the transition team, showcasing their close ties. Because of this, WP expressed concerns that President-elect Trump might attempt to interfere with the investigation into Vince in the future.

Linda’s lawyer has rebutted, stating that Linda is currently separated from her husband and that the lawsuit filed by the former ring boys is baseless and a frivolous claim.