Over the last four years, American parents have watched literacy rates drop, woke ideology rise, and rogue unions and school boards empowered in public schools. Unsurprisingly, education freedom has become a huge topic of conversation at every level of government. In 2024, it was evident that parents voted to ensure they have a voice in their child's education. Once President Trump won, the objective became clear: restore power to the states and get the federal government out of the education business.
Thankfully, our future Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, fought for education freedom even before it became a popular policy. When America First Works launched, Linda hit the ground running, with education policy and school choice as her top priority. Under her leadership, we expanded universal school choice in several states — giving millions of parents the freedom to choose what's best for their children.
Moving education spending and restoring control to the states is critical. Despite leading the world in per-student education spending, American students fall behind in critical areas like math, science, and literacy. For far too long, a bloated government has thrown money at a broken system and used funding to advance social causes not academic progress. Our schools are no longer the exceptional institutions they could be. And that’s why he chose Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. He has proudly claimed “I told Linda — ‘Linda, I hope you do a great job’…and put herself out of a job [in the] Education Department.”
Linda's unwavering dedication stems from a firm belief that parents should have the final say in their child's education, not bureaucrats or union bosses. Her tireless efforts are a testament to her commitment to a system where every school board, administrator, and even the Department of Education (DOE) would answer to the families they serve. She knows what needs to be done to empower parents and children across America because she's already done the work.
With a champion and executive-minded leader like Linda, the days of leftist government officials dictating what our kids are taught will be gone. Linda will fight for curriculum transparency, ensuring every parent knows what is happening in their child's classroom. Linda understands what it takes to cut through red tape, create real solutions, and inspire people to achieve greatness. From her time as a Connecticut school board member to her leadership at Sacred Heart University, Linda has always been a bold advocate for parents, teachers, and students. She has a vision to transform education into a system that works for the people.
Her plan includes decentralizing power, sending education back to the states, and aligning schools with workforce needs. Under Linda, the DOE will no longer be a money pit for bureaucrats — it will be a tool for advancing all Americans' freedom, opportunity, and prosperity.
Parents know the truth. For far too long, DOE has become a bloated behemoth, enriching elites while America's schools crumble. We need a sledgehammer to this broken system for our children's sake. If wasteful programs are the priority at DOE, our children will fail — just as they would if they were trapped in schools that no longer fit their needs or are failing. With her business acumen and conservative values, Linda will ensure that education serves American families — not Washington insiders.
While the Biden administration worked overtime to prevent families from having a say in the matter, Linda was chipping away at the school choice fight. Now, as Secretary of Education, she will prioritize education freedom throughout America. It's what parents and students have been missing: Someone in their corner, fighting for them at the national level.
Linda McMahon is not just the right choice for Secretary of Education — she's the only choice if we want to tear down the bloated, corrupt education bureaucracy and restore power to where it belongs: with parents. As a seasoned leader, a creative visionary, a proud patriot, and most importantly, a mom and grandmom, President Trump's next Education Secretary will overhaul this Department, hand control back to families, and put our kids on the path to success.
Ashley Hayek is President of America First Works, former 2020 Trump Campaign Coalitions Director, and author of Beat the Elites.