President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Dr. Ben Carson, the former Republican presidential candidate, to be the next secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Trump's transition team announced Monday.
"I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Ben Carson as our next secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development," Trump said in a statement, CNN reports.
"Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities," Trump continued. "We have talked at length about my urban-renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up."
If Carson is confirmed by the Senate, a formality for all selected Cabinet members, he would be the first African American to join Trump's Cabinet. As the secretary of housing and urban development, Carson would oversee "federal public housing programs and [help] formulate policy on homelessness and housing discrimination," CNN reports.
In November, shortly after it was announced that Trump had won the presidential election, Carson business manager Armstrong Williams said that Carson had no interest in or experience pertaining to a Cabinet position. However, on Wednesday, Carson posted an announcement on Facebook, alluding to a change in his position.
"After serious discussions with the Trump transition team, I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone," Carson wrote, CNN reports. "We have much work to do in strengthening every aspect of our nation and ensuring that both our physical infrastructure and our spiritual infrastructure is solid."
Read more at CNN.