Carson accepts offer to serve as HUD secretary

Neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate Ben Carson has accepted an offer from President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, puts a political novice in charge of Trump’s promised reforms to help America’s inner cities.

“I am honored to accept the opportunity to serve our country in the Trump administration,” Carson said in a statement. “I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.”

After initially declining any positions in the Trump administration, Carson indicated last month in a television interview that he would be willing to take the HUD helm.

“Our inner cities are in terrible shape and they definitely need some real attention,” Carson told Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto. “You know, there have been so many promises made over the last several decades and nothing has been done so it certainly is something that has been a long-term interest of mine.”

Carson sparred with Trump on the debate stage and on the campaign trail during the presidential primaries. But he swiftly excused their differences, endorsing Trump and becoming a surrogate for his campaign after ending his own presidential bid. If the Senate confirms him, the 65-year-old with no political or bureaucratic experience will take over a $50 billion agency tasked with helping enact urban policy.

The physician rose to prominence in 2013 after giving the keynote speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, criticizing some of President Barack Obama’s policies, especially the Affordable Care Act. During his presidential campaign, Carson often told his personal story of growing up in inner city Detroit and going on to become one of the world’s most prominent neurosurgeons. He called for economic reforms that would reduce individuals’ dependence on the government.

“I am not interested in doing away with social safety nets,” Carson said when he announced his candidacy. “I have a strong desire to get rid of programs that create dependency in able-bodied people.”

Carson withdrew from the race after a series of stumbles, including reports he plagiarized part of a book he wrote, embellished aspects of his life story, and used tissue from aborted babies in a research project. He then became one of the first former candidates to endorse Trump, a move that surprised many given Carson’s dirt-free campaign style. Carson defended his support for Trump by saying, “there are two different Donald Trumps,” the public image and the one who “considers things carefully.”

Trump might have given the public reason to believe Carson. Since his election, he has backed down from pledges to reinstate waterboarding and prosecute Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server while secretary of state. He’s also worked to mend fences within the fractured GOP, even selecting Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus as White House chief-of-staff.

Critics immediately pounced on Carson’s lack of experience, something the doctor himself admitted could be a hindrance. In November, a friend of Carson’s, Armstrong Williams, told The Hill: “Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he’s never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.”

In HUD, Carson is set to inherit an agency already suffering from crippling mismanagement. A recent inspector general’s report noted HUD has failed to meet basic accounting standards for the past two years. According to the report, HUD has misstated or cannot give evidence for billions of dollars in account balances, assets, liabilities, and receivables.

“These weaknesses were due to an inability to establish a compliant control environment, implement adequate financial accounting systems, retain key financial management staff, and identify appropriate accounting principles and policies,” the report stated.

At the same time, HUD has joined the Obama administration’s campaign of social engineering, proposing new regulations that would require its funding recipients—including places like homeless shelters—to allow transgender people access to single-sex accommodations in line to their gender identities.

“We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities,” Trump said of Carson in a statement. “Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans.”