(Reuters) – Professional wrestling magnate and former Small Business Administration director Linda McMahon is seen as the frontrunner to lead Donald Trump’s Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on 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 almost a decade ago. This cycle, Trump tapped her to co-lead a transition team formed to help vet personnel and draft policy ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Given the early stage in the process, it was unclear whether she will ultimately get the job.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE. She later served as director of the SBA, resigning in 2019, and went on to lead a pro-Trump spending group.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on McMahon. The Trump-friendly think tank America First Policy Institute, which McMahon chairs, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump has begun the process of choosing a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration officials following his victory against Democrat Kamala Harris. On Thursday, Trump announced that Susie Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be his White House chief of staff.
(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer, Karen Freifeld and Echo Wang; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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