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Linda McMahon donated $7 million to help elect Trump

Trump's controversial Cabinet picks
Trump's newest controversial Cabinet picks 02:35

The woman Donald Trump chose to lead the Small Business Administration gave $1 million in October to a super political action committee that supported him.

That brings Linda McMahon’s total pro-Trump super PAC donations to $7 million.

The former wrestling executive gave $6 million over the summer to the group Rebuilding America Now and another $1 million in October to the group Future 45. Both spent money primarily on television advertising.

McMahon’s most recent contribution was disclosed for the first time in a Federal Election Commission report filed late Thursday.

Mr. Trump tapped McMahon as the leader of the Small Business Administration on Wednesday.

McMahon and her husband, Vince, founded and built World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), now a publicly traded sports entertainment company. She stepped down as the WWE chief executive officer in 2009 and in recent years began a start-up to encourage more women business owners.

She also poured $100 million of her fortune into two unsuccessful bids for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut and has become an influential Republican donor.

“Linda is going to be a phenomenal leader and champion for small businesses and unleash America’s entrepreneurial spirit all across the country,” Mr. Trump said in a statement Wednesday.

Mr. Trump said she shares his vision of decreasing “burdensome regulations that are hurting our middle-class workers and small businesses.”

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