Did Trump's education head Linda McMahon allow sexual exploitation of children in WWE?

Linda McMahon, Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, is facing allegations of having knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee in the 1980s—claims she denies.
McMahon, former CEO of WWE, co-founded the company with her husband, Vince McMahon. During her tenure, she helped transform WWE from a wrestling entertainment firm into a publicly traded media empire. She stepped down in 2009 to pursue a political career but lost Senate races in Connecticut in both 2010 and 2012.
As McMahon, who is also co-chair of Trump’s transition team, seeks confirmation for her new role, a recent lawsuit casts doubt on her commitment to children’s welfare during her time at WWE.
The lawsuit, filed in October in Baltimore County, Maryland, alleges that McMahon, her husband, WWE, and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, allowed employee Melvin Phillips Jr. to use his position as a ringside announcer to sexually exploit children.
The lawsuit claims Phillips recruited yo
ung boys, aged 13 to 15, as “Ring Boys” under the guise of assisting with wrestling ring setups and takedowns at WWE events. However, the suit alleges that this role was a pretext for Phillips to sexually exploit the boys, even in the presence of wrestlers and executives. It also accuses him of filming the abuse.
The plaintiffs, five individuals identified as John Does, allege they suffered emotional and mental trauma as a result. They are seeking damages of over $30,000.
Phillips worked for WWE throughout the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s as a ringside announcer and crew chief. He was dismissed in 1988 following repeated allegations but was rehired six weeks later under the condition that he avoid contact with children. According to the lawsuit, Phillips continued the abuse, with WWE executives, including Linda and Vince McMahon, allegedly aware of his actions.
The lawsuit also alleges that Vince McMahon acknowledged that both he and Linda were aware of Phillips’ “unnatural interest” in young boys as early as the 1980s.

A lawyer representing Linda McMahon has called the allegations baseless and vowed to fight the lawsuit. Vince McMahon has similarly denied the claims. Both have faced public scrutiny for their handling of the allegations during their leadership at WWE.
Melvin Phillips passed away in 2012, and no criminal charges have been filed. However, the Maryland Child Victims Act, which became law in 2023, has allowed victims to file civil claims for childhood sexual abuse regardless of when the abuse occurred. This legislation has opened the door for survivors to hold organisations accountable for past misconduct.

Linda McMahon previously served in Trump’s first cabinet as head of the Small Business Administration before stepping down in 2019 to lead a pro-Trump super PAC. She is also a co-founder and board chair of the America First Policy Institute.
Vince McMahon, who stepped down from WWE earlier this year amid separate allegations of sexual assault and trafficking, has also faced multiple lawsuits and investigations. He has denied all allegations. A federal criminal investigation into Vince McMahon remains ongoing, though it reportedly does not implicate Linda McMahon, who left WWE over a decade ago.