"[235], In an interview with Katie Couric, Carson said that Jesus Christ came to Earth to redeem the world through his atoning sacrifice and that all people are sinners and need his redemption. [93] On the condition the film would have its premiere in Baltimore,[93] Carson agreed to a cameo appearance as "head surgeon" in the 2003 Farrelly brothers' comedy Stuck on You, starring Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as conjoined twins who, unhappy after their surgical separation, continue life attached to each other by Velcro. ", "Ben Carson won't commit to restoring any Detroit cuts", "HUD Sec Ben Carson champions program Trump budget aims to kill", "Here's what Ben Carson thinks about the proposed $6.2 billion HUD budget cut", "Carson assures advocates that White House will include housing funding in infrastructure bill", "Ben Carson warns of senior housing crisis in Florida, U.S.", 'Using his position for private gain': Ben Carson was warned he might run afoul of ethics rules by enlisting his son, Ben Carson was cautioned son's involvement at HUD created the appearance of a conflict, report says, HUD inspector general looking into role Ben Carson's family has played, "Ben Carson and Rep. Katie Porter continue feud over Oreo moment", "Ben Carson's 'Oreo' screw-up is the most predictable thing ever", "Ben Carson took to Fox Business to explain why he thought he was asked about Oreos", "Ben Carson Blames Democrats' 'Alinsky' Tactics for His 'Oreo' Moment", "White House adds VA secretary, CMS chief to coronavirus task force", "HUD Secretary Ben Carson tests positive for coronavirus", "Ben Carson is the latest Trump official to test positive for coronavirus", "Carson says he's 'out of the woods' after battling COVID-19", "Ben Carson Says He Took Oleandrin, An FDA-Rejected Supplement Touted By MyPillow Founder, As Coronavirus Treatment", "Ben Carson says he was 'desperately ill' from Covid but is now 'out of the woods', "Ben Carson's HUD, Planning Cuts, Spends $31,000 on Dining Set for His Office", "HUD staffer files complaint over Ben Carson office redecoration", "Emails show Ben, Candy Carson selected $31,000 dining set", "Ben Carson Defends Buying $31,000 Dining Set to Congress: 'I Left It to My Wife', "HUD Secretary Ben Carson cleared in watchdog's probe of $31,000 dining room set purchase", "Ben Carson Is Cleared of Misconduct Over Order of $31,000 Dining Set", "Ben Carson cleared by HUD inspector general of misconduct in ordering $31,000 dining room set for office suite", "HUD Secretary Ben Carson makes dismissive comments about transgender people, angering agency staff", "Ben Carson Defends Transphobic Remarks, Accuses Media Of 'Mischaracterizations', "Ben Carson to launch conservative think tank as his next move", "American Cornerstone: A Much-Needed Endeavor", "US presidential hopeful Ben Carson saved lives in Perth", "Ben Carson: inside the worldview of a political conundrum", "Neurosurgeon Ben Carson undergoes cancer surgery", "Is the Doctor In? He does say that his older brother, then a student at the University of Michigan, received a low number (26) in the first draft lottery in 1969 and was able to enlist in the Navy for four years instead of being drafted,[74] whereas he received a high number (333) in the second draft lottery in 1970. [184] In the same speech, Carson was criticized by some for saying that the human brain "was incapable of forgetting and could be electrically stimulated into perfect recall". [183], On March 6, his first day as secretary, while addressing Housing and Urban Development (HUD) employees, Carson saluted the work ethic of immigrants, and during his comments, he likened slaves to involuntary immigrants. [106][107][108] Carson gave four paid speeches at company events. Corrections? [14], On January 24, 2017, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs voted unanimously to approve the nomination. [88] As a surgeon, he specialized in traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, and trigeminal neuralgia. In a February 2019 interview Carson suggested that he would leave HUD at the end of Trumps term in 2021. [93] Carson participated in four subsequent high-risk conjoined-twin separations, including a 1997 operation on craniopagus Zambian twins Joseph and Luka Banda, which resulted in a normal neurological outcome. Carson spent his early childhood in Detroit. Any reporting to the contrary is false. He has denied being paid by Mannatech to do anything else, saying he has been a "prolific speaker" who has addressed many groups. A HUD spokesman said that no one present thought Carson "was equating voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude". I support them in doing that, but I probably would have taken a little different approach. In that role, he expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion and claimed that homosexuality is a choice. Carson said other students walked out in protest when they discovered the retest was significantly harder than the original examination, but that he alone finished the test. [168] On May 6, Carson said in an interview that Trump would consider a Democrat as his running mate, conflicting with Trump's assertion that he would not. [221] Together, the couple have three sons (Rhoeyce, Benjamin Jr., and Murray), as well as several grandchildren. big brother! "[176] Although it was reported that the position was for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Carson's business manager has disputed this, stating, "Dr. Carson was never offered a specific position, but everything was open to him. Two others are about his personal philosophies of success and what he sees as the stabilizing influence of religion. [19] Robert Carson was a Baptist minister, but he later became a Cadillac automobile plant laborer. He also sought to reduce housing regulations, including those designed to end discrimination. [204], Carson received criticism for spending up to $31,000 on a dining set in his office in late 2017. Carson stepped down as secretary of HUD in January 2021. [93][94][95][96] Neither twin was ever able to talk or care for himself, and both eventually became institutionalized wards of the state. [170] Later that month, Carson revealed a list of potential vice-presidential candidates in an interview with The Washington Post. Such moves were met with opposition, as critics alleged that he failed to understand the complexities of the issues. His parents divorced when he was eight years old, and thereafter he lived with his mother and brother, spending a brief period in Boston and later returning to Detroit. [188] Carson suggested that federal funds for housing in Detroit could be part of an expected infrastructure bill. Ben Carson has an older brother named Curtis. Later, email communications revealed that Carson and his wife selected the dining set. [117] In October 2013, Fox News hired Carson as a contributor to provide analysis and commentary across Fox News Channel's daytime and primetime programming, a relationship that lasted until the end of 2014. "[176] He was eventually offered the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, which he accepted. 2. "[131], Carson's sudden popularity among conservatives led to his being invited as a featured speaker at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Earlier, he had said he was unaware of the company's legal history. He has accumulated a chunk of his net worth fortune selling books, which makes him bestseller author, his speaking gigs too where he is paid $50,000, and his several roles in the media houses as Washington Times and Fox News. In his keynote speech, Carson was highly critical of U.S. Pres. I think it is a good product. [Note 4] When questioned about it again in 2015, Carson stood by this assertion. While in his initial years of school, Carson was an average student. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [154], The New York Times reported in 2015, "Carson has acknowledged being something of a novice on foreign affairs." "[127][128], Carson was the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 7, 2013. He and his brother, Curtis, were raised by their single mother, Sonya, since he was eight years old. . Sonya moved her sons to Boston where she lived with her sister for a short time. As of 2023, Ben Carson's net worth currently stands at $35 million. [236], Carson has stated that he does not believe in hell as understood by some Christians: "You know, I see God as a very loving individual. Total propaganda. In the 2015 volume A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties (also written with his wife), he issued his interpretations of the mandate established by the U.S. Constitution. Even if they were evil. Ben Carson and his team of doctors created history in 1987 by successfully separating the Binder twins, Patrick and Benjamin, both of whom survived and went on to lead individual lives. By Thomas Sowell. Renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson is the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, appointed by President Donald Trump. [14] Carson is one of the most prominent Black conservatives in America.[15]. : An American Icon", "How Ben Carson Went from Folk Hero to GOP Rock Star", "Ben Carson had extensive relationship to dietary supplement company despite denial", "Ben Carson Has Had Ties to Dietary Supplement Firm That Faced Legal Challenge", "At debate, Ben Carson says he has no connection to Mannatech", "Ben Carson is calling for a new debate format without 'gotcha questions', "Is the conservative love affair with Ben Carson coming to an end? [197], On March 1, 2020, the office of Vice President Mike Pence announced Carson's addition to the White House Coronavirus Task Force. "[239] Carson's Adventism was raised as an issue by his then-primary rival Donald Trump. Williams was paid $4,700 a month this year up until June, FEC records show. Carson performed strongly in early polls, leading to his being considered a frontrunner for the nomination during the fall of 2015. Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson grew up fatherless alongside his older brother Curtis in Detroit, where their mother, Sonya, was a domestic worker. Dr. Ben Carson has an older brother named Curtis. [79], In his autobiography, Carson said he had been offered a scholarship to West Point. [191] In February 2018, the HUD inspector general's office confirmed that it was looking into the role Carson's family played at the department. [59][41][60][61] He wanted to attend college farther away than his brother who was at the University of Michigan. [80] In November 2015, the Detroit Free Press republished an article from 1988 "to try to bring some clarity to the claims currently being brought into question". "[152] Later, he said the advertisement was done without his knowledge, that "it was done by people who have no concept of the black community and what they were doing", and that he was "horrified" by it. In addition, his debate performances were criticized for a perceived lack of energy. "[212][213], In 1994, Carson and his wife started the Carson Scholars Fund that awards scholarships to students in grades 411 for "academic excellence and humanitarian qualities". Carson has been awarded 38 honorary doctorate degrees and dozens of national merit citations. [28][35] At the age of eight, Carson dreamt of becoming a missionary doctor, but five years later he aspired to the lucrative lifestyles of psychiatrists portrayed on television, and his brother bought him a subscription to Psychology Today for his 13th birthday. Ben Carson has said on the campaign trail that his mother, Sonya Carson, is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. You know, obviously, decades later, I'm not going to remember the course number. I don't want to sit here and say all of his policies are bad. [93] The Johns Hopkins Children's Center surgical team rehearsed the surgery for weeks, practicing on two dolls secured together by Velcro. The school is partnering with Detroit Receiving Hospital and Michigan State University.[255]. He married his wife, professional violinist Candy Carson, in 1975, and Ben Carson had three sons with her: Rhoeyce, Ben, Jr., and Murray. Ben Carson, who was already a famous neurosurgeon, did not attend his father's funeral in 1992, according to the step-sister. The following year he appeared at the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditionally nonpartisan event organized by the Family, a Christian movement. It brought shame to our nation because of both the outcome and the cause. [135][136], On November 4, 2014, the day of the 2014 midterms, he rejoined the Republican Party, saying it was "truly a pragmatic move" because he was considering running for president in 2016. Why Conservatives Want Ben Carson Politics CBN News Christian News 24-7", "Ben Carson Just Sold His West Palm Beach Home", "Dr. Ben Carson Drops $1.22 Million On A Virginia Home", "Encyclopedia of World Biography: Biography of Benjamin S. Carson", "5 faith facts about Ben Carson: retired neurosurgeon, Seventh-day Adventist", "Ben Carson and the Satanic Sabbath persecution conspiracy", "Ben Carson to Katie Couric on Jesus painting and rap ad", Church Chat: Carson handles spotlight 'prayerfully, humbly', "Donald Trump: No apology for questioning Ben Carson's Seventh-day Adventist faith", "On Guns and Religious Liberty, Ben Carson "Not an Authentic Adventist", "Ben Carson stands by statement that Egyptian pyramids built to store grain", "Fact check: Ben Carson's claim that the pyramids were used to store grain", "House poised for action on COOL Senate readies to take a swing at WOTUS Ben Carson: The vegetarian option", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "Horatio Alger Association Members Information", "Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine Programs & Activities", "DPS announces program details for new Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine and Detroit Collegiate Prep School", "William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership", "Hopkins Surgeon Ben Carson Receives Medal of Freedom", "President and Mrs. Bush Attend Ford's Theatre Gala", "Benjamin Carson, M.D., Awarded The Ford's Theatre Lincoln Medal", "Carson, Hopkins Colleagues Named to Institute of Medicine", "Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton Extend Run as Most Admired", "Dr. Benjamin Carson To Offer His Inspiring Story Of Hope And Determination To USA Graduates At Commencement May 3", Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Ben Carson:Dialogue with an Adventist Neurosurgeon, United States Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Carson&oldid=1141812535, African-American members of the Cabinet of the United States, African-American candidates for President of the United States, Candidates in the 2016 United States presidential election, Discrimination against LGBT people in the United States, Members of the National Academy of Medicine, Southwestern High School (Michigan) alumni, University of Michigan Medical School alumni, Articles with dead external links from March 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from January 2023, Articles with a promotional tone from January 2023, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2023, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In 2000, he received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an award given out annually by, In 2012, Carson was the Influential Marylander Award recipient from, In 2014, a poll of Americans conducted by, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 23:10. In a story related by Ben Carson in his 1996 book Gifted Hands and numerous interviews, he wrote that his mother was instrumental for him and his brother to start catching up and making headway in school. However, soon thereafter his campaign began to struggle when questions mounted concerning his grasp of foreign policy. George W. Bush. [99] His retirement became official on July 1, 2013. While at Yale, he met Lacena (Candy) Rustin; the couple married in 1975 and had three children. [109] In a 2004 speech, he credited the company's products with the disappearance of his prostate cancer symptoms. Today it might seem impossible to imagine that this brilliant neurosurgeon was once a poor student in school. As a result, he states he "never had another problem with temper". [93] The Binder surgery served as a blueprint for similar twin separations, a procedure that was refined in subsequent decades. Later, she returned to Detroit and worked as many as three jobs at a time to support herself and her boys. In 2014 he wrote (with his wife) One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save Americas Future, and the following year he entered the 2016 U.S. presidential election race.