Incoming-President Donald Trump's appointment of Linda McMahon to head the United States Department of Education has set off alarm bells across the world of higher education, and not without good reason. McMahon is the former head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and she also has a long and storied history in the business of professional wrestling. She does not, however, appear to have meaningful experience in the student loan industry.

Her stance on repayment plan options for federal loans, student loan forgiveness, and myriad other higher education topics is also largely unknown since she’s y﷽et to tackle anyܫ of these topics publicly. This has left many borrowers wondering what will happen with student loans once McMahon takes the helm of the Department of Education in 2025.

Who Is Linda McMahon?

Linda McMahon served as the 25th Administrator of the U.S. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Small✱ Business Administration (SBA) during Trump's first term in office. She is also the co-founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a publicly traded company within the professional wrestling industry. Her husband Vince McMahon also co-founded the WWE and served as CEO before stepping down from the role amidst legal troubles in 2022.

As a graduate of East Carolina University, McMahon ran for the U.S. Senate in the state of Connecticut in both 2010 and 2012. McMahon currently serves in a leadership role at the America First Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank that encourages policies that "put America first."

While McMahon doesn't appear to have specific expertise or experience in the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:student loan industry, she did serve briefly on a state board in Connecticut that sets school policy. She also serves as a trustee at Sacred Heart University, a private Catholic school in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Doe✅s Linda McMaꦡhon Have a Plan for Student Loans?

When it comes to student loan policy under McMahon's leadership, it's what the conservative business leader hasn't said that has borrowers worried. Most of her public statements about education have been fairly general so far, including her posts on the social media platform X. For example, McMahon has tweeted about making America's education system "great again" and "reforming the Department of Education and empowering students and parents throughout America," but without any specific details attached to those comments.

It remains to be seen if McMahon would support or encourage recently proposed student loan legislation like the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:College Cost Reduction Act, which would end the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:capitalization of interest on student loans and bring a halt to 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:origination fees, among other changes. McMahon has also refrained from publicly sharing her views on federal 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:student loan forgiveness programs, including the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:🧸Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan that's currently paused while awaiting a decision on its legality from the coဣurts.

While nobody knows what will happen with federal student loans under McMahon's lead, one concern is that 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:r💎epayment strategies for student loans, including 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:income-driven repayment (IDRꦍ) plans, will be changed in the coming years. There’s also the possibility that the new administration will eliminate some of the debt forgiveness plans currently available, including 澳♊洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Trump could even call on McMahon to help dismantle the Department of Education, which is one of his stated goals.

The Bottom Line

While President Trump's appointment of McMahon to the Department of Education hasn’t been without controversy, that doesn't necessarily mean a major overhaul of the federal student loan industry is guaranteed. The fact is, we don’t know what her views on some of the most pressing student loan issues are yet, nor what her plans might be regarding student loan forgiveness and the availability of IDR plans.

As such, all that borrowers can really do at this juncture is hope for the best and plan for the worst. For most federal student loan borrowers, keeping up with debt payments, staying abreast of potential changes, and workin♎g diligently to pay down debt is still the best course of action.