Professional wrestling mogul and former Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon is considered the front-runner to lead the Commerce Department under Donald Trump, three sources familiar with the plans said on Friday.
McMahon is a major donor and was an early supporter of the Republican president-elect when he first ran for the White House nearly a decade ago. This cycle, Trump appointed her to co-lead a transition team formed to help vet staff and formulate policy ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Given the early stage of the process, it was unclear whether she would ultimately get the job.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE. She later served as SBA administrator, resigned in 2019, and continues to lead a pro-Trump spending group.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on McMahon. The America First Policy Institute, a Trump-friendly think tank that McMahon heads, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump began the process of selecting the government and selecting other high-level officials in the administration after his victory over Democrat Kamala Harris.
Trump announced on Thursday that Susie Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be his White House chief of staff.