Dr. Ben Carson, a prominent neurosurgeon who led the 2016 presidential campaign, is seeking the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services under President-elect Donald Trump, the Post reported.
Carson, 73, served as President Trump's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021, but has no desire to serve in that post again and is open to becoming head of HHS instead. Two people familiar with the matter told the Post.
“[Carson’s] A source close to President Trump asserted HHS's position, saying, “The people are doing their best during the transition period.”
“His people want it,” the source added.
Carson continues to campaign for the president-elect and was with him at the West Palm Beach, Fla., convention center on election night.
He also gave a speech praising Trump at the Republican National Convention after an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
President Trump's transition team has not made a final decision on who will take the top role at HHS, and the 45th president has not yet named a candidate for the position.
But sources said Carson's team is recommending him for HHS secretary as deliberations at Mar-a-Lago continue.
Trump's other nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is likely to take on a health-related role that deals with data, but will not be selected for the cabinet, Trump transition chairman Howard said. Lutnick previously told CNN.
The Health Department's position requires Senate approval and could lead to potential difficulties for RFK Jr. given his stance on vaccines.
Carson has been vocal about transgender issues since leaving the Trump administration, saying he believes doctors should stop performing sex reassignment surgeries on minors by 2022, saying he “categorically refuses to do so under any circumstances.” ” he said.
“There's a reason they're called minors. They don't really know a lot and they learn over time as they grow up,” he told the Daily Caller. spoke. In an interview at the time. “I think in the future we'll look back at this era of transgenderism and say, 'How could they have been so stupid?'”
Mr. Carson's views on minors undergoing sex-reassignment surgery are in line with Mr. Trump's. In January 2023, the former president released a video saying he would “stop” surgeries on minors, calling them “child abuse.”
He currently heads the American Cornerstone Institute, a conservative think tank that features podcasts with Mr. Carson and provides programming for Americans who want to learn more about the federal government.
The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the Post.
