Ben Carson on Sunday broke his silence on rumors that he would join the second Trump administration as the US Surgeon General, but said he plans to meet with President-elect Donald Trump soon.
Carson, who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) during the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, dismissed the false reports in an X post on Sunday.
“I am excited to speak with President Trump about how we can continue to advance America First policies and plan to meet with him in the near future,” the former neurosurgeon wrote.
“But contrary to reports, I have no intention of serving as Surgeon General.”
Trump nominates Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence: 'Fearless spirit'
Former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Mr. Carson is a vocal critic of the Biden administration and an ardent supporter of Mr. Trump. Carson congratulated Republican leaders after they won a landslide victory in the Nov. 5 election.
“Congratulations to my good friend and president-elect of the United States. @RealDonaldTrump!!'' Carson's post read, “As I said earlier today, God is not done with our country. Let's get to work.''
Although the Surgeon General of the United States is not a Cabinet-level position, it is still a high-ranking role that serves as the head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Forces. This position is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Here are the most talked about candidates for key positions in the Trump administration
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson (Scott Olson, Getty Images/File)
“The U.S. Surgeon General is the nation's physician, providing Americans with the best available scientific information on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury,” the HHS website says. Explaining. “The Surgeon General oversees the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Force, an elite group of more than 6,000 uniformed officers who are public health professionals.”
Carson's comments came as several positions in Trump's incoming Cabinet are still open, including secretary of transportation, secretary of commerce and secretary of the treasury.
Trump also has not yet announced his picks for HUD secretary, agriculture secretary, and education secretary.
President Trump attends a Cabinet meeting with HUD Secretary Ben Carson at the White House on November 19, 2019. (Mandel Gann/AFP via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
President Trump announced as recently as Saturday that Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright would join his cabinet as energy secretary. He called Wright “a leading engineer and entrepreneur in the energy sector.”
