<p>As announced on Monday, Trump has selected former campaign rival Ben Carson for the position of Housing Secretary. ;</p>
<p>Carson, an accomplished neurosurgeon, announced his bid for the presidency in May 2015, portraying himself as an anti-establishment choice with conservative Christian values. ;</p>
<p>He eventually dropped out of the race and endorsed Donald Trump despite the billionaire&rsquo;s harsh attacks against him on the campaign trail. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;There are two different Donald Trumps,&rdquo; said Carson in March. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s the one you see on the stage, and there&rsquo;s the one who&rsquo;s very cerebral, sits there and considers things very carefully.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Carson celebrated Trump&rsquo;s election and quickly became a vice chairman of his transition team. ;</p>
<p>Carson originally said that he wasn&rsquo;t sure he would fit into a cabinet role, but his hesitancy may have been based on the rumor that Trump was considering him for HHS Secretary &#8211; a position he ended up giving to Georgia Rep. Tom Price. ;</p>
<p>Trump said he is &ldquo;thrilled&rdquo; to nominate Carson, adding that he &ldquo;has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities.&#8221;  ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans,&rdquo; Trump said in a statement on Monday. ;</p>
<p>Carson hinted at a job offer from Trump about two weeks ago when he wrote in a Facebook post: &ldquo;An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Democrats have criticized Trump for choosing someone who has no experience running a federal agency. &ldquo;Trump has selected someone woefully unqualified to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development,&rdquo; said Elijah Cummings (D-MD). &ldquo;He&rsquo;s never run an agency and it&rsquo;s a lot to ask. He&rsquo;s a neophyte and that&rsquo;s not his strength.&rdquo;  ;</p>
<p>Carson, who grew up as the son of a single mom in Detroit, is confident that he can &ldquo;make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation&rsquo;s housing needs are met,&#8221; he said. ;</p>
<p>Carson has accepted the nomination, but the Senate will have to confirm the decision before his position as HUD Secretary becomes official. ;</p>