This post was updated at 5:12 p.m. ET
Linda McMahon, the co-founder of the pro-wrestling enterprise World Wrestling Entertainment, was selected Wednesday by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Small Business Administration.
In a statement released by the Trump transition team, Trump called McMahon "one of the country's top female executives" and said she would help push his "America First" agenda forward. He added:
"She helped grow WWE from a modest 13-person operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees in offices worldwide. Linda is going to be a phenomenal leader and champion for small businesses and unleash America's entrepreneurial spirit all across the country."
McMahon never has held elective office; the Connecticut Republican ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012, but lost in the general election both times. McMahon spent about $100 million of her own fortune on the campaigns — about double what Trump spent on his presidential run.
As The Washington Post reported in October, McMahon was one of Trump's "biggest outside benefactors" — though she has not held back from slamming him on his derogatory comments toward women.
In an interview with Yahoo News , McMahon said she had faith in Trump's ability to run the country, but that his past comments were "objectionable."
" 'Those [comments] were just over the top; they were deplorable, objectionable absolutely,' McMahon said. 'He's not helping, certainly, to put women in the best light. Maybe he regrets them, maybe he doesn't. I realize he punches hard when he punches back, but that's just over the top. I wish that no candidate would make those comments.' "
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