WASHINGTON (AP) – Ben Carson was one of the biggest names to join Donald Trump’s Cabinet, but since taking office as housing secretary, Carson has mostly kept a low public profile. That could change starting this week.
Carson is beginning a series of appearances in Washington, giving him an opportunity to spell out a vision for the housing agency he leads – and to try to avoid the controversies that have stemmed from some of his early remarks as housing chief.
On Thursday, Carson will headline a homeownership conference at his agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Next week, he heads to Capitol Hill to testify before House and Senate panels about deep cuts planned for HUD in Trump’s proposed budget.
It’s a shift in visibility for the renowned neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate as he nears 100 days in Trump’s Cabinet.
Since taking the helm of HUD in March, Carson, 65, has visited a handful of cities as part of a national “listening tour” to talk to HUD employees, housing officials and public housing residents. He’s also had appearances at some housing conferences – most of it with little or no advance notice to the media. So far, he has not shared publicly his policy agenda for the department.