Scibilia, Michael. "Squared Circle, Oval Office: Vince McMahon and U.S. Politics." Professional Wrestling Studies Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, 2020, 1-22In November 2016, Donald Trump became the first member of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame to be elected U.S. president. His exalted status within the professional wrestling company was the result of a series of appearances on WWE’s global television programming, highlighted by a storyline feud with company chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon. This article examines the relationship between McMahon, WWE and Trump’s 2016 electoral success. It uses McMahon as a case study to argue that he and Trump share a political and cultural lineage that highlights the significance of professional wrestling beyond being a form of popular entertainment. McMahon was directly linked with the pursuit of political power during the 2010 and 2012 Senate campaigns of wife and former WWE president and CEO, Linda McMahon. Though the campaigns were unsuccessful, Vince McMahon’s relevance to U.S. politics emerged throughout the 2016 presidential race. Trump’s rhetoric, demagoguery, strongman leadership, machismo and nationalist ideals created a post-truth political spectacle that resembled professional wrestling. This fusion of politics and professional wrestling took McMahon’s brand and persona to the highest level of politics in America.Keywords: media; Vince McMahon; entrepreneurship; Donald Trump; politics