Dr. Ben Carson (Photo courtesy of wnky.com)

MIAMI – Former Housing and Urban Development secretary Dr. Ben Carson will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Donald Trump said.

Trump picked Carson to lead HUD during his first term.

Now the president wants to bestow Carson with the nation’s highest civilian honor during a ceremony at the White House at a future date.

“We are going to be presenting Dr. Ben Carson with the highest civilian award and honor in our country. It’s the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, which is our highest military award. It’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said in remarks at an event hosted by the American Cornerstone Institute, which Carson founded.

Carson, a former neurosurgeon, ran unsuccessfully for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016 against Trump. The president then tapped him to serve as HUD secretary.

Carson served as the national faith chair for the Trump campaign in the 2024 election