Stephanie McMahon played a key role in Vince McMahon’s first exit from WWE in July 2022, when allegations involving secret payments to women came to light.
Dave Meltzer shared the detail on Wrestling Observer Radio while discussing “Roll the Calls: A Memoir,” the new book from Ari Emanuel that was released this week. According to Meltzer, Stephanie was the one who convinced her father to step down at the time. He added that her role had been known behind the scenes but had never been revealed publicly.
There is an important distinction, however, when it comes to what has been circulating on social media. The book excerpt published by POST Wrestling covers the 2022 exit. In it, Emanuel wrote that McMahon reached out to him after The Wall Street Journal’s initial reports.
“Vince called and assured me the charges were false. But he also said he was going to step down, for the good of the company,” Emanuel wrote.
Ari Emanuel reveals in his book, that it was Stephanie McMahon who spoke to Vince McMahon about stepping down from WWE when the allegations came to light.
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) September 24, 2026
“The company’s gonna have a sponsor revolt if you don’t resign. You’re gonna have to resign, Slim Jim’s will leave” pic.twitter.com/5D5YCaQAGE
Slim Jim did not enter the picture until McMahon’s second exit in January 2024, after Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against him, John Laurinaitis and WWE. Grant accused McMahon of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, allegations he denied.
The second time around, Mark Shapiro wanted McMahon out immediately. Pressure mounted when Slim Jim suspended its partnership with WWE just hours before the Royal Rumble. Meltzer said the possibility of other sponsors following suit proved decisive.
As Meltzer put it, “the company’s gonna have a sponsor revolt if you don’t resign. You’re gonna have to resign.”
McMahon resigned on January 26, 2024, stepping down as executive chairman, leaving the TKO board and giving up all of his other roles with the company. The resignation was later formally documented in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.