US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday, in a surprise move, selected 76-year-old Linda McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive, as secretary of the Education Department.
Linda McMahon is the wife of Trump's long-standing WWE colleague Vince McMahon. Trump sponsored WWE WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V, which was held at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, NJ.
“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World,” Trump said in a statement.
With Linda McMahon's nomination as secretary of the US Education Department, memories of WrestleMania 23 in 2007 have resurfaced online. During the ‘Battle of Billionaires,' President-elect Trump shaved Vince McMahon's head after a scripted feud.
In 2007, while starring in the reality show The Apprentice, Trump made a headline-grabbing appearance at Wrestlemania 23.
The billionaire entertainment mogul took part in an elaborately staged feud with Vince McMahon, which ended with Trump shaving off Vince McMahon's hair in the middle of the ring.
The feud led to the ‘Battle of the Billionaires’ at WrestleMania 23 in Detroit. Each billionaire chose a professional wrestler to represent them. Trump selected Bobby Lashley, and McMahon backed Umaga. The challenge? The losing billionaire would have his head shaved in the ring.
In the fight, Trump's wrestler, Bobby Lashley, defeated McMahon's pick, Umaga. As a result, Trump gleefully shaved McMahon's head in front of a roaring crowd.
The showdown was not only a wrestling spectacle but also strengthened Trump's entertainment persona, earning him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Also, the Trump-McMahon showdown was a highlight of the 23rd edition of the WWE extravaganza, as it drew 80,103 fans to Ford Field. This was much more than the previous record of 78,129 set during the 2003 college basketball game between Michigan State and Kentucky.
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