The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday tapped former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson as a senior nutrition and housing adviser, serving as the point person to help implement the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda.
The agency in a statement said Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, will advise President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on rural health, nutrition and housing accessibility.
He will serve on the administration’s MAHA Commission and will likely play a role in the agency’s updating of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans due this year. The USDA has also been encouraging states to apply for waivers to bar beneficiaries from using their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to buy junk food.
“Today, too many Americans are suffering from the effects of poor nutrition,” Carson said in a statement. “Through common-sense policymaking, we have an opportunity to give our most vulnerable families the tools they need to flourish.”
“I am honored to work with Secretary Rollins on these important initiatives to help fulfill President Trump’s vision for a healthier, stronger America.” he added.
The agency said Carson will also help implement the rural health investment provisions of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and advise on “America First polices related to nutrition, health, and housing.”
Rollins said Carson was officially sworn in Wednesday.
“There is no one more qualified than Dr. Carson to advise on policies that improve Americans’ everyday quality of life, from nutrition to healthcare quality to ensuring families have access to safe and stable housing,” she said in a statement.
Carson served as HUD Director in the first Trump administration, after an unsuccessful run for president in 2016.
