Ben Carson has opted out of jockeying for one of the spots on Donald Trump's political team, citing his lack of government experience. Instead of joining the president-elect's cabinet, Carson's business manager Armstrong Williams told The Hill that Carson would continue to serve as Trump's unofficial advisor.
"Dr. Carson was never offered a specific position, but everything was open to him," Williams told The Hill of his decision. "Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience. He's never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency." Prior to running as a for President as a Republican, Carson worked as a neurosurgeon.
Carson's decision to pull himself out of the running may puzzle people who voted for Trump, given that the president-elect doesn't have any government experience either. And Carson might have fit right in, seeing how Trump has appointed his eldest children Eric and Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner to his transition team, despite their lack of experience and the strong possibility of a conflict of interest.
Carson's graceful bow out follows Congressman Mike Rogers, who announced early Tuesday that he would be parting ways from Trump's team. That still leaves a long list of possible contenders, however. The president-elect may be considering Rudy Giuliani for Attorney General, Newt Gingrich for Secretary of State, and Kellyanne Conway for a position as his his Senior Advisor.
