President-elect’s former rival for Republican presidential nomination says he can help in ‘making our inner cities great for everyone’

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Donald Trump has nominated former opponent Ben Carson as his secretary of housing and urban development.



In a statement from his transition team on Monday, Trump said he was “thrilled to nominate” Carson, saying the retired neurosurgeon had “a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities”.

“Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans,” he added.

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Carson responded to the announcement with a brief statement accepting Trump’s nomination.



“I am honored and look forward to working hard on behalf of the American people,” he wrote.



Carson had previously taken himself out of the running to serve in Trump’s cabinet amid speculation that the former doctor was being considered to head the Department of Health and Human Services. A Carson spokesperson said he did not feel he had the experience to run a federal agency and did not want to assume a role “that could cripple the presidency”.



But Carson signalled his thinking had changed in a Facebook post late last month, in which he hinted at a possible position at the federal agency tasked with overseeing America’s fair housing laws and urban development policies.

“After serious discussions with the Trump transition team, I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone,” Carson wrote in the post on 23 November. “We have much work to do in strengthening every aspect of our nation and ensuring that both our physical infrastructure and our spiritual infrastructure is solid.”

Republicans praised Carson’s personal attributes but were relatively muted in response to Trump’s decision to place an outsider at the helm of one of the nation’s top agencies.



“We appreciate Dr Carson’s willingness to take on such a challenging task at an agency that is in need of reform to better serve all Americans,” Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate majority leader, said in a statement. “I’m confident his life-long career of selfless service will be a positive addition to the incoming administration.”

Democrats, by contrast, assailed the retired neurosurgeon as wholly unqualified for the role.



“Dr Ben Carson is a disconcerting and disturbingly unqualified choice to lead a department as complex and consequential as Housing and Urban Development,” said Nancy Pelosi, who was recently re-elected as the Democrats’ leader in the House of Representatives, in a statement.

“There is no evidence that Dr Carson brings the necessary credentials to hold a position with such immense responsibilities and impact on families and communities across America.”

Charles Schumer, the incoming Democratic leader in the Senate, said he had serious concerns about Carson’s lack of expertise and experience in the field of housing. “Someone who is as anti-government as him is a strange fit for housing secretary, to say the least,” he said. “As he moves through the confirmation process, Americans deserve to know that their potential HUD secretary is well versed in housing policy and has a vision for federal housing programs that meets the needs of Americans across the country and seeks to provide access to those that we haven’t reached already.”

The largest civil rights organization for LGBTQ individuals also sounded alarm over Carson’s nomination, pointing to his steadfast opposition to gay equality.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said past comments by Carson referring to homosexuality as “a choice” and support for conversion therapy raised serious concerns over how HUD would address the housing needs of the LGBTQ community, while citing research showing that LGBTQ youth account for up to 40% of the total unaccompanied homeless youth population.

“Throughout his failed presidential campaign, Carson ran on a platform on inequality, and, if nominated, his hateful views could have disastrous effects on LGBTQ people,” said HRC president Chad Griffin.

“As a community already faced with housing insecurity, we need an ally, not an agitator, who will protect every American’s right to a safe place to lie down each night.”

Carson and Trump feuded bitterly during the Republican presidential primaries, with Trump at one point characterizing Carson as having a “pathological temper” akin to the illness of a child molester.

But Carson endorsed Trump in March, saying the two men had “buried the hatchet”, and went on to be one of the real estate mogul’s most loyal supporters for the duration of the election campaign.



Trump’s decision to tap Carson as the housing and urban development (HUD) secretary followed his announcement nominating the South Carolina governor, Nikki Haley, as ambassador to the United Nations, and Elaine Chao as transportation secretary. Haley, Chao and Carson are the first people of color chosen by Trump to serve in his cabinet. </s> The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday to confirm retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.

Carson, who ran for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and later endorsed Trump, becomes the only African-American in the Trump Cabinet. The Senate confirmed his appointment by a vote of 58 to 41.

During his confirmation hearing in January, Carson, 65, told the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs that he would monitor any potential conflicts of interest between his agency and properties controlled by Trump.

He also told lawmakers he was fit to lead HUD, an agency whose mission includes helping the poor get housing, even though he has sometimes criticized its work. </s> Ben Carson has been confirmed by the Senate to act as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in a 58-41 vote. The retired pediatric neurosurgeon entered politics as a hopeful for the Republican presidential nomination before being nominated for the position by President Donald Trump.

As the New York Times reports, Democrats in the Senate were not as critical of Carson as they were of Trump’s other cabinet nominees. Among the Democratic senators who voted for Carson were Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Mark Warner of Virginia, according to Politico. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts had voted for Carson in the Banking Committee but voted no in the final confirmation due to pressure from the left. Brown defended his vote for Carson, saying, “He made the commitment under oath to our committee that he would fight discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation.”

As leader of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Carson will oversee a budget of $47 billion, a department of around 8,000 employees and programs that provide low-income housing and government assistance. This is the first government position for Carson, who was previously the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Growing up in Detroit, a young Ben Carson was raised by a single mother who relied at times on food stamps to get by. Carson, however, has joined other Republicans in being critical of too much government assistance. Carson is the only African-American member of Trump’s cabinet.

During Carson’s Senate hearings, Warren and Brown questioned him heavily about the potentiality of Department of Housing and Urban Development dollars and decisions being used to benefit Trump’s various real estate business. “Can you just assure us that not one dollar will go to benefit either the president-elect or his family?” Warren asked.

In response, Carson said his actions would be “driven by a sense of morals and values.” As Politico reports, among Trump’s business interests is Brooklyn’s Starrett City, a public housing project.

Before Carson was nominated for the position, Armstrong Williams, a Ben Carson aide, told The Hill that the retired neurosurgeon and presidential hopeful felt he lacked the experience to be a member of Trump’s cabinet.

Upon announcing his choice to nominate Carson to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Trump said, “We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities.” NPR reports that Carson’s name was previously floated around to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump and Carson engaged in multiple debates while both sought the Republican nomination. However, Carson endorsed Trump shortly after dropping out of the race. Both have frequently spoken about the need to address the country’s inner cities, with Carson saying his experience growing up in Detroit will influence his role as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Some experts on urban policy have questioned Carson’s ability to lead such a complex department, including Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. Morial told the Washington Post, “Those concerns stem from his own statements. He said, basically, that he’s not qualified for HUD or for government service. So most people I hear ask, ‘How did they convince him to take the job?'”

Now confirmed as secretary, Ben Carson will go on what the Washington Post calls a “listening tour” across the country. </s> "I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Ben Carson as our next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development" President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement.

"Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities. We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up."

Carson also ran for president in the GOP primary in 2016 and became an early and vocal supporter of Trump after dropping out in March.

Trump praised Carson as a "greatly talented person" in a tweet two weeks ago when he announced he was considering Carson for the HUD position.

"I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the head of HUD. I've gotten to know him well--he's a greatly talented person who loves people!" Trump tweeted. I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the head of HUD. I've gotten to know him well--he's a greatly talented person who loves people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016 Carson's name had been attached to multiple cabinet-level positions throughout the transition process, most significantly the position of Health and Human Services secretary. But according to Carson aide Armstrong Williams , the veteran neurosurgeon turned down an offer of that position due to lack of experience running a federal agency. "He's never run an agency and it's a lot to ask. He's a neophyte and that's not his strength," Williams said, despite the fact that Carson vied for the Republican nomination to be the next president of the United States. </s> (CNN) The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Ben Carson and Rick Perry to Cabinet position in President Donald Trump's administration.

The chamber confirmed retired neurosurgeon as the next secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and then later in the afternoon approved the former Texas governor as the next energy secretary.

The vote for Carson was 58-41. The vote for Perry was 62-37.

Both Carson and Perry ran against President Donald Trump during a crowded Republican presidential primary, before dropping out and both eventually endorsing Trump.

Read More </s> President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former campaign 2016 rival Ben Carson to become secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Trump’s decision, announced early Monday by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration.

In a statement, Trump says he’s “thrilled to nominate” Carson, saying he “has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.”

Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump’s election victory that he wasn’t certain he’d fit into a Cabinet-style role. The discussion at that time centred on speculation that Carson might be selected to head the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump’s statement Monday says, “Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.”

Carson was among the 16 Republican candidates who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. He was a favourite of religious conservatives and a strong fundraiser, but his team burned through money quickly and he failed to win any of the early primary contests.

Trump treated Carson harshly during the primary, saying he had a “pathological temper.” Still, Carson quickly endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the contest.

As a Trump supporter, Carson was both loyal and critical. He conceded that Trump had “major defects” and said at one point that he would have preferred a scenario other than Trump winning the Republican primary.

Last week, Trump announced that he planned to nominate former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as his Treasury secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to lead the Commerce Department. He chose Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to be transportation secretary. Trump also has turned to retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defence.

A retired neurosurgeon, Carson has often recounted his childhood as the son of a single mother in inner-city Detroit in his books and motivational speeches. In his 1996 autobiography “Gifted Hands,” Carson wrote of the humiliation he felt using food stamps from his mom to pay for bread and milk, and said how he began to excel at school only after receiving a free pair of glasses that allowed him to see the lessons written on chalk boards.

Carson has not said whether his family ever lived in federally-funded housing or received Section 8 subsidies to help pay rent. But as a political figure he has criticized such public assistance programs for creating “dependency” on the government among low-income minorities.

“I’m interested in getting rid of dependency, and I want us to find a way to allow people to excel in our society, and as more and more people hear that message, they will recognize who is truly on their side and who is trying to keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes,” Carson said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2015.

With the help of financial aid and scholarships, Carson attended Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School before being the first African-American named as the head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. There he garnered national acclaim for directing the first surgery to separate twins connected at the back of the head.

Carson’s rise to political prominence began with a 2013 speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he gave a withering critique of the modern welfare state and the nation’s overall direction while President Barack Obama was seated just feet away. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Carson’s inspirational life story, Christian faith and anti-establishment message briefly catapulted him last year ahead of Trump and other rivals in opinion polls.

But his success on the campaign trail quickly crumbled amid questions about whether elements of his rags-to-riches autobiography were exaggerated or fabricated — including a purported childhood fit of rage in which he tried to stab his best friend in the belly only to be foiled by a belt buckle. Carson’s business dealings also faced scrutiny, including his ties to a wealthy Pittsburgh dentist whom he helped avoid prison time for felony health care fraud.

The Associated Press first reported last year that Carson invested millions of dollars in real estate deals with Alfonso A. Costa, whose dentistry license was revoked following a felony conviction. According to required financial disclosure forms he filed in 2015, Carson his wife made between $200,000 and $2 million a year from those real estate investments. Costa also served on the board of Carson’s charity, the Carson Scholars Fund, which provides college scholarships to children in need. </s> WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump, moving to complete formation of his Cabinet and decide other key administration posts, chose former campaign rival Ben Carson on Monday to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Trump’s decision, announced by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration and following his announcement of several Cabinet appointees last week.

In a statement, Trump said he was “thrilled to nominate” Carson, describing the retired neurosurgeon as having “a brilliant mind” and saying he “is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.”

Carson had been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump’s election victory that he wasn’t certain he’d fit into a Cabinet-style role. The discussion at that time centered on speculation that Carson might be selected to head the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services.

“Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country,” Trump said, “and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.”

Carson was among the 16 Republican candidates who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. He was a favorite of religious conservatives and a strong fundraiser, but his team burned through money quickly and he failed to win any of the early primary contests.

Trump treated Carson harshly during the primary, saying he had a “pathological temper.” Still, Carson quickly endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the contest.

As a Trump supporter, Carson was both loyal and critical. He conceded that Trump had “major defects” and said at one point that he would have preferred a scenario other than Trump winning the Republican primary.

Last week, Trump announced that he planned to nominate former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as his Treasury secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to lead the Commerce Department. He chose Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to be transportation secretary. Trump also has turned to retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense.

He now has expanded his pool of candidates for secretary of state, raising a question about whether former CIA Director David Petraeus’ guilty plea for leaking classified information disqualifies him to serve as the nation’s top diplomat.

The remark came a week after Trump’s aides confirmed that the president-elect had settled on four finalists for the post. Two people close to the transition tell The Associated Press that Trump is moving away from two of the four: former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee.

That would leave Petraeus as a top contender, along with Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Both people close to the transition said Trump’s prolonged decision-making process has left the door open to other options. Among other possibilities, one official says is Jon Huntsman, a former Republican Utah governor who also served as the ambassador to China and speaks Mandarin.

The people close to the transition spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the private process publicly.

Carson, his choice for housing secretary, has often recounted his childhood as the son of a single mother in inner-city Detroit in his books and motivational speeches. In his 1996 autobiography “Gifted Hands,” Carson wrote of the humiliation he felt using food stamps from his mom to pay for bread and milk, and said how he began to excel at school only after receiving a free pair of glasses that allowed him to see the lessons written on chalk boards.

Carson has not said whether his family ever lived in federally-funded housing or received Section 8 subsidies to help pay rent. But as a political figure he has criticized such public assistance programs for creating “dependency” on the government among low-income minorities.

“I’m interested in getting rid of dependency, and I want us to find a way to allow people to excel in our society, and as more and more people hear that message, they will recognize who is truly on their side and who is trying to keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes,” Carson said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2015.

With the help of financial aid and scholarships, Carson attended Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School before being the first African-American named as the head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. There he garnered national acclaim for directing the first surgery to separate twins connected at the back of the head.

Carson’s rise to political prominence began with a 2013 speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he gave a withering critique of the modern welfare state and the nation’s overall direction while President Barack Obama was seated just feet away. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Carson’s inspirational life story, Christian faith and anti-establishment message briefly catapulted him last year ahead of Trump and other rivals in opinion polls.

But his success on the campaign trail quickly crumbled amid questions about whether elements of his rags-to-riches autobiography were exaggerated or fabricated — including a purported childhood fit of rage in which he tried to stab his best friend in the belly only to be foiled by a belt buckle. Carson’s business dealings also faced scrutiny, including his ties to a wealthy Pittsburgh dentist whom he helped avoid prison time for felony health care fraud.

The Associated Press first reported last year that Carson invested millions of dollars in real estate deals with Alfonso A. Costa, whose dentistry license was revoked following a felony conviction. According to required financial disclosure forms he filed in 2015, Carson his wife made between $200,000 and $2 million a year from those real estate investments. Costa also served on the board of Carson’s charity, the Carson Scholars Fund, which provides college scholarships to children in need. </s> WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):

Donald Trump has chosen former Campaign 2016 rival Ben Carson to become secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Trump’s decision, announced early Monday by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration.

In a statement, Trump says he’s “thrilled to nominate” Carson, saying he “has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.”

Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump’s election victory that he wasn’t certain he’d fit into a Cabinet-style role. The discussion at that time centered on speculation that Carson might be selected to head the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump’s statement Monday says, “Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.” </s> WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Campaign 2016 rival Ben Carson to become secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Trump’s decision, announced early Monday by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration.

In a statement, Trump says he’s “thrilled to nominate” Carson, saying he “has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.”

Carson has been coy about joining the new administration, saying shortly after Trump’s election victory that he wasn’t certain he’d fit into a Cabinet-style role. The discussion at that time centered on speculation that Carson might be selected to head the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump’s statement Monday says, “Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.”

Last week, Trump announced that he planned to nominate former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as his Treasury secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to lead the Commerce Department. He chose Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to be transportation secretary. Trump also has turned to retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense.

A retired neurosurgeon, Carson has often recounted his childhood as the son of a single mother in inner-city Detroit in his books and motivational speeches. In his 1996 autobiography “Gifted Hands,” Carson wrote of the humiliation he felt using food stamps from his mom to pay for bread and milk, and said how he began to excel at school only after receiving a free pair of glasses that allowed him to see the lessons written on chalk boards.

Carson has not said whether his family ever lived in federally-funded housing or received Section 8 subsidies to help pay rent. But as a political figure he has criticized such public assistance programs for creating “dependency” on the government among low-income minorities.

“I’m interested in getting rid of dependency, and I want us to find a way to allow people to excel in our society, and as more and more people hear that message, they will recognize who is truly on their side and who is trying to keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes,” Carson said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2015.
Ben Carson, former GOP presidential candidate, current advisor to President-elect Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon, has decided to not accept a Cabinet position in the Trump administration.