Carson Hints He May Have Accepted Role In Trump Administration

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A once a Presidential hopeful may be a Presidential appointee.

After being offered the job of Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary by President-elect Donald Trump, Dr. Ben Carson is hinting online that he may have accepted the role.

Dr. Carson, Trump's rival for a time in the Republican primary, shared this message on his Facebook page Wednesday:

"Winning the presidential election was only the first step for those who love traditional America and do not wish to fundamentally change it. Now the hard work begins of restoring the values that made us great. We must bring back the compassion and the unity that empowers us and banish the divisiveness that weakens us. 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. 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. An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again."

There are some conflicting reports about whether this is a done deal, but the fact remains that both President-elect Trump and Ben Carson are seriously discussing his role in the administration.

Ben Carson was the first Republican candidate to overtake Donald Trump in the polls during the primary before he hit the skids and dropped out of the race in march of this year.

Now the president-elect is looking at Carson to join his cabinet, tweeting this week:

"I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the head of HUD. I've gotten to know him well -- he's a greatly talented person who loves people!"

The near- lifelong Maryland resident sat down with WJZ's Denise Koch last year to talk about his political future as it was taking off, and following through the presidential campaign.

Carson used to be a Democrat.

"I was a rabid, left-wing Democrat. I'm running as a Republican, because you have to run as something," Carson tells WJZ.

His years in medicine have changed him.

He has a message for those concerned about whether a doctor with no political experience should run for political office.

"What they should do is listen to my solutions," he said.

Carson has now posted on Facebook: "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. An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again," said Carson.

In an interview with Fox News Tuesday night, Carson said he considers HUD a good fit.

"we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities," said Carson.

Carson expects to be one of the blocks in the cabinet trump is building.

Earlier in the selection process, a spokesperson for Carson had said he didn't feel prepared to run a government agency, but apparently he's changed his mind.

HUD's mission is to create strong communities and quality affordable housing for all.

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