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Sen. Chris Murphy Grills Linda McMahon on DEI in Schools as Protesters Disrupt Hearing

HeadlineFeb 14, 2025

On Thursday, Democratic senators grilled Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department — which Trump has repeatedly threatened to shut down. McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, was questioned by Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy on Trump’s order banning diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

Sen. Chris Murphy: “My son is in a public school. He takes a class called African American history. If you’re running an African American history class, could you perhaps be in violation of this court order — of this executive order?”

Linda McMahon: “I’m not quite certain, and I’d like to look into it further and get back to you on that.”

McMahon’s hearing was interrupted by multiple protesters, including one who warned that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is under threat.

In other Cabinet news, the Senate has confirmed Brooke Rollins as agriculture secretary, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced Kash Patel’s nomination to head the FBI.

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