Ben Carson
Secretary of housing and urban development
Background
Despite having no political experience, Ben Carson mounted a run against Trump in the Republican presidential primary. His campaign was unsuccessful and he dropped out in March.
The retired pediatric neurosurgeon, 65, had previously declined the offer to serve as Trump’s health and human services secretary, because he has “never run a federal agency” and didn’t want to “take a position that could cripple the presidency”, his friend said at the time.
Carson is the only black nominee in Trump’s cabinet and one of just three non-white nominees or appointments.
Carson’s mother, one of 24 children, raised him and a brother in poverty in Detroit and then in Boston, occasionally relying on food stamps and other programs. Carson, a critic of government welfare, has called for private charities to shoulder welfare needs.
Although an unconventional choice, Carson has not been identified by Democratic senators as one of the eight most “troublesome” nominees. However, he has been the purveyor of bizarre conspiracy theories and a provocateur, claiming that the Egyptian pyramids were built by the biblical Joseph to store grain and were not, as archaeologists believe, tombs for pharaohs.
Key points to watch for
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Personal story: Carson is expected to speak extensively about his own personal story, growing up in what he describes as “dire poverty” in Detroit and Boston.
- Lack of government experience: Although Carson and his supporters have pointed to his personal story as evidence of credentials, he has never lived in public housing and has no government or other public policy experience. Neither Trump nor Carson has outlined a detailed vision of their plans for America’s cities. In his books and on the campaign trail, Carson has called for limited government involvement in citizens’ daily lives and an increased reliance on private charities.
- Outlandish beliefs and turns of phrase: Although it’s unclear how substantive Carson’s policy answers will be on Thursday, he is known for his belief in conspiracy theories and presenting absurd metaphors. He has compared abortion to slavery and same-sex marriage to pedophilia. In a television interview, Carson insisted that “poverty is really more of a choice than anything else”.
