Carson, as a Project 2025 author, advocated for an increase in FHA premiums and a “reset” of HUD to counteract “corrosive progressive ideologies across the department’s programs.”
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Ben Carson, former Secretary of Housing in the first Trump administration, “is a front-runner to resume the role if he desires,” according to Politico, citing sources familiar with the transition.
Editor’s note: On Friday night, president-elect Donald Trump announced the nominations of former Texas state representative Scott Turner as Secretary of Housing and hedge fund executive Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary. Turner currently chairs the center for education opportunity at the America First Policy Institute.
Carson shared on X that he is scheduled to meet with the president-elect soon, expressing excitement to discuss how he will further promote the America First agenda.
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A former neurosurgeon, Carson refuted rumors of potentially serving as the Surgeon General in Trump’s second term.
I am excited to speak with President Trump about how I will continue to advance the America First agenda, and I am meeting with him in the near future.
However, contrary to reports, I will not be serving as the Surgeon General.
— Ben & Candy Carson (@RealBenCarson) November 17, 2024
Carson had expressed interest in leading the Department of Health and Human Services, as reported by The New York Post shortly after the election, but Trump has pledged that position to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Carson authored a chapter of Project 2025 outlining conservative plans to revamp the Department of Housing and Urban Development, proposing a “reset” of HUD to reverse the Biden Administration’s continuous promotion of corrosive progressive ideologies within the department’s programs.
Carson’s chapter of Project 2025 suggests an increase in FHA mortgage insurance premiums, termination of HUD’s efforts to address appraisal bias and climate change issues, and elimination of the Housing Supply Fund, which funds affordable housing construction by state and local governments.
In contrast, housing industry and lending groups have pushed for HUD to lower FHA premiums and eliminate “life of loan” premium payments after borrowers reach a 20 percent equity stake in their homes.
Long-term, Carson’s Project 2025 chapter urges Congress to contemplate “a complete overhaul of HUD that considers delegating many HUD functions to states and localities while transferring any remaining federal functions to other federal agencies.”
Another segment of Project 2025, not authored by Carson, advocates for the Treasury Department to phase out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac “in an organized manner” and privatize the companies, which have been under government conservatorship since 2008.
Project 2025 is a 922-page policy document created by the Heritage Foundation and over 100 conservative organizations detailing policy positions they hoped Trump would adopt.
Despite Trump’s disapproval of some of Project 2025’s proposals during the campaign, he has nominated several of its authors for his Cabinet or important leadership roles.
These nominations include Brendan Carr as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Tom Homan as “border czar,” a non-formal Cabinet position, according to ABC News.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to mention that former Texas state representative Scott Turner has been nominated as the next Secretary of Housing, and hedge fund executive Scott Bessent has been nominated as Treasury Secretary.
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