The speculation is now over as sources close to the appointment confirm to HousingWire that Ben Carson will officially accept the role of United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Rumors swirled this week over whether Carson, a former GOP presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon, would accept the role. Now, the speculation is over – Carson announced he will accept and those sources say a formal acceptance will come as soon as today or tomorrow.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday on Twitter that he was “seriously considering” Carson as the next HUD Secretary.
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
Later Tuesday, a report from Reuters stated that Trump did offer the top HUD job to Carson.
While Carson previously stated that he was not interested in serving on Trump’s cabinet, he told Fox News that he was reconsidering the possibility.
In fact, the former GOP presidential candidate even announced on his Facebook Wednesday that “after serious discussions with the Trump transition team,” he believed he could make a difference. He also stated that an announcement would come soon about his role in “helping to make America great again,” according to an article by Damian Paletta and Nick Timiraos for The Wall Street Journal.
The new HUD secretary also took to Twitter to announce his upcoming decision.
An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again. https://t.co/jGRyzFRBAK
— Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) November 23, 2016
Before Carson accepted the position, rumors swirled about the possibility of Pam Patenaude, who currently serves as the president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America's Families, and Robert Woodson, who runs the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise in Washington, D.C., taking the position of potential HUD secretaries under Trump.
