Trump Pick Former NFL Player As HUD

President-elect Donald Trump has named Scott Turner, a former NFL player and White House official, as his pick to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If confirmed by the Senate, Turner would oversee an agency responsible for enforcing fair housing laws, providing mortgage insurance, and offering rental subsidies to low-income families.

Turner currently serves as the chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute, a group with close ties to Trump’s transition team. During Trump’s first term, Turner served as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, an initiative created by Trump in 2018 to encourage public and private investment in low-income communities.

The council’s efforts focused on revitalizing thousands of low-income census tracts designated as “opportunity zones” by Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Turner traveled with former HUD Secretary Ben Carson to promote the program in 2019.

Trump praised Turner’s work in the Opportunity and Revitalization Council, saying he helped lead an “unprecedented effort” that transformed distressed communities. Turner’s guidance, Trump said, helped oversee 16 federal agencies that implemented more than 200 policy actions to further economic development.

Before joining the Trump administration, Turner had a diverse career. He spent nine years playing in the NFL for teams including the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos. After leaving the league, Turner mounted an unsuccessful run for California’s 50th Congressional District in 2006. He was later elected to the Texas House of Representatives, where he served from 2012 to 2017.

Turner’s appointment as HUD secretary is seen as a significant move by the Trump administration to shape the agency’s direction. If confirmed, Turner would play a crucial role in implementing Trump’s housing policies and overseeing the agency’s various programs.