I didn't have any involvement with Mannatech. [22] Carson's older brother, Curtis, was born in 1949, when his mother was 20. "[245] To avoid causing others discomfort, he is willing to occasionally eat chicken or turkey, although he finds eating pork highly unpleasant. Ben Carson was born on September 15, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan. One. [Note 2][81], In his autobiography, Gifted Hands, Carson recounted that exams for a Yale psychology course he took his junior year, "Perceptions 301", were inexplicably burned, forcing students to retake the exam. [154], The New York Times reported in 2015, "Carson has acknowledged being something of a novice on foreign affairs." After the couple separated, Carson and his brother Curtis lived with their mother. A Carson spokesperson later said Carson expected Trump to select a Republican. He then questioned the extent of the effort CNN had exerted in the investigation. His height is 1.83 m tall, and his weight is 80 kg. [10], Carson gained national fame among political conservatives after delivering a speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast which was perceived as critical of the policies of President Barack Obama. They were very poor and Sonya had to . [40] Carson served as a laboratory assistant in the high school's biology, chemistry, and physics school laboratories beginning in grades 10, 11, and 12, respectively,[45] and worked as a biology laboratory assistant at Wayne State University the summer between grade 11 and 12. [124], Carson, who had been registered as a Republican, changed his registration to independent in the 1990s after watching Republicans impeach President Clinton for perjury regarding an extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. [100], In 2021, Carson joined Galectin Therapeutics to assist with development of the company's galectin-3 inhibitor, belapectin, as a treatment for NASH cirrhosis and in combination with immunotherapy for the treatment of cancers. [186][187] Carson issued a statement supporting the proposed cuts. I don't want to sit here and say all of his policies are bad. [93] Patrick Binder died sometime during the last decade, according to his uncle, who was located by The Washington Post in 2015. The announcement speech was preceded by a choir singing "Lose Yourself" with Carson sitting in the audience. [172], During the Republican National Convention, Carson appeared with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in support of the pro-Donald Trump Great America PAC at an event in Cleveland. Dr. Carson believes he might be able to successfully separate them, but realizes that he also risks losing one or both of them. [80][Note 1] Carson also said the University of Michigan had offered him a scholarship. After the song, Carson took the stage and announced his candidacy alongside a speech on his rags to riches life story, at one point stating: "I remember when our favorite drug dealer was killed. . Total propaganda. Oleander was previously rejected by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for COVID-19 and Carson received criticism for promoting an unscientific homeopathic treatment. In that role, he expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion and claimed that homosexuality is a choice. He also has trouble with a bad temper. [191][192] Carson's wife, son, and daughter-in-law also attended official meetings. A HUD spokesman said that no one present thought Carson "was equating voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude". In November it was announced that he had tested positive for the disease, and he later claimed that he had become desperately ill but recovered after Trump intervened to get him access to an antibody treatment that required FDA approval. In 1994 Carson cofounded the Carson Scholars Fund, an organization that awarded scholarships to students who had demonstrated academic excellence and community service. Sonya, however, taught her sons that it was in . [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. [171] On May 16, Carson said the media could not keep opinion out of reporting and cited Walter Cronkite as a fair journalist who was, in his words, a "left-wing radical". Dr. Ben Carson has an older brother named Curtis. 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. He declined, in part because of his lack of experience, with an aide stating, "The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency. Patrick swayze's character in the. [186], In April 2017, while speaking in Washington at the National Low Income Housing Coalition conference, Carson said that housing funding would be included in an upcoming infrastructure bill from the Trump administration. [173], In total, Carson received 857,039 votes during the Republican primaries; this total represented 2.75% of the votes cast. [53][54][55] In his various books and at campaign events, he repeated these stories and said he once attacked a schoolmate with a combination lock. A HUD spokesperson responded that Carson "does not use derogatory language to refer to transgendered[Note 3] individuals. [227][228], Surrounding his confirmation as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Carson bought a $1.22 million home in Vienna, Virginia, in February 2017 and sold his West Palm Beach home for over $900,000 in May 2017. He later also held professorships in plastic surgery, oncology, and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins. [76] In his book, America the Beautiful (2012), Carson said: "The Vietnam War was, in retrospect, not a noble conflict. One. She joined Britannica in 2006 and Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 4.0 721 Reviews . The academy does not award scholarships to anyone;[80] cadets receive a free education and room and board in exchange for a commitment to serve in the military for at least five years after graduation. It is absolutely absurd to say I had any kind of relation with them. Even if they were evil. Dr. Ben Carson has an older brother named Curtis. Reps. Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts and Jennifer Wexton of Virginia called for his resignation, but Carson said the accusations were a "mischaracterization". [28][40][41] In high school, he played the euphonium in band and participated in forensics (public speaking),[42] chess club,[43][44] and the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program where he reached its highest rankcadet colonel. The Life and Career of Ben Carson. [141] In an interview with Cincinnati station WKRC-TV on May 3, 2015, Carson accidentally confirmed his candidacy for president. Two others are about his personal philosophies of success and what he sees as the stabilizing influence of religion. [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. Carson also traveled as a motivational speaker, was an outspoken supporter of creationism, and was the subject of the 2009 made-for-television movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. It is soon later that he meets Lacena Rustin (Candy). [166], On May 4, after Trump wrapped up the Republican nomination, he hinted that Carson would be among those who would vet his vice-presidential pick. Although Carson showed potential as a student, he performed poorly in school until his mother challenged him and his brother with reading and writing assignments in addition to their regular schoolwork. [178] During the confirmation process, Carson was scrutinized by some housing advocates for what they perceived as his lack of relevant experience. [217][218], The ACI's mission statement is "dedicated to promoting and preserving individual and religious liberty, helping our country's most vulnerable find new hope, and developing methods to decrease the federal government's role in society and to improve efficiency to best serve ALL our nation's citizens. 'Transgendered' is considered a derogatory and offensive term for trans individuals. Neurosurgeon, medical director, foundation executive and author Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr. was born on September 18, 1951 in Detroit Michigan, to Sonya and Robert Solomon Carson. [156], Carson said he is not opposed to a Palestinian state, but he questioned why it needs "to be within the confines of Israeli territory Is that necessary, or can you sort of slip that area down into Egypt? [222] In 1981 Carson's wife became pregnant with twins before miscarrying in the fifth month of her pregnancy. "[146], In October, it was noted that Carson's "improbable" political career had surged in polls and fundraising, while he continued to participate in nationally televised Republican debates. Fairell Tubbs says she looked after the elder Carson until the day he . degree in 1977, and he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. However, soon thereafter his campaign began to struggle when questions mounted concerning his grasp of foreign policy. . 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. 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. The separation surgery held promise in part because the twin boys had separate brains. Dr. Ben Carson blames "the secular progressive movement" for the scrutiny the stories of his past are getting. "[181] HUD scaled back the enforcement of fair housing laws, halted several fair housing investigations started by the Obama administration[182] and removed the words "inclusive" and "free from discrimination" from its mission statement. [14], On January 24, 2017, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs voted unanimously to approve the nomination. At an event last Friday in Arkansas, Carson was asked about his shifting. [28][34] In 1965, at the age of 13, he moved with his mother and brother back to their house on Deacon Street. How many times has Dr ben Carson been married? There was six cautions in the first two stages. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [181] Most of the top HUD positions were unfilled and Carson's leadership was "inconspicuous and inscrutable". [169] Carson was also known for having performed the first successful rescue of a hydrocephalic twin using an intrauterine shunt. In the 2014 cycle, Williams made $95,700, according to records. At the age of five, Carson's mother Sonya found out that his father had a prior wife whom he did not divorce. American neurosurgeon and politician (born 1951). [35] He attended the predominantly black Hunter Junior High School for the second half of eighth grade. [99] His retirement became official on July 1, 2013. Created By Olivia Brown. Here's a snapshot of the new HUD secretary: Full name: Benjamin Solomon Carson. Nine friends, classmates, and neighbors who grew up with him told CNN in 2015 they did not remember the anger or violence he has described. Carson developed a newfound interest in learning and eventually earned a scholarship to Yale University, receiving a bachelors degree in psychology in 1973. While in his initial years of school, Carson was an average student. It brought shame to our nation because of both the outcome and the cause. At 33, Ben Carson was named the youngest director of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States, most famous for separating the conjoined Binder twins, and performing the first successful brain surgery on a baby in the womb. With his conservative agenda, Carson initially proved popular with Republican voters, and by October 2015 he was among the partys front-runners. Barack Obama, who was in attendance, and the resulting media attention helped make Carson a rising star in conservative circles. [57][58], Carson's SAT college admission test scores ranked him somewhere in the low 90th percentile. I support them in doing that, but I probably would have taken a little different approach. Another separation resulted in the death of one twin and the survival of the other, who is legally blind and struggles to walk. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Carson spent his early childhood in Detroit. Profile: Dr. Benjamin Carson", "Johns Hopkins Medicine Community Mourns the Death of Internationally Renowned Pediatric Neurologist John M. Freeman", "Hemispherectomy End Seizures In Many Older Children With Rare Seizure Disorder", "For Patients with EpilepsyHalf a Brain That Works", "The Story of the Surgery that made Ben Carson Famous", "Binder Twins Far From Normal Two Years After Surgery", "Twins Disjoined at Head Leave the Hospital", "WATCH: Ben Carson's Cameo in 2003 Comedy Stuck on You", "Ben Carson announces retirement, feeds presidential speculation", "World-Renowned Neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, Sr. [118], In 2014, some House Republicans (who later formed the House Freedom Caucus) approached Carson about the possibility of his standing for Speaker of the House in the event that the incumbent Speaker, John Boehner, had to step down because of intraparty disunion. The following year he appeared at the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditionally nonpartisan event organized by the Family, a Christian movement. The long tradition of black conservatism", "5 Things You Should Know About Ben Carson", "Carson, Hopkins Colleagues Named to Institute of Medicine | Children's Hospital at Johns Hopkins | Baltimore, Maryland", "Sonya Carson, Ben Carson's Mother, Passes at 88", "Carson's positions on poverty create tension with rags-to-riches life story", "Ben Carson did not grow up living in public housing", "The Detroit childhood that shaped Ben Carson", "For Ben Carson, bleak memories of his time in Boston. [16] In 2001, he was named by CNN and Time magazine as one of the nation's 20 foremost physicians and scientists and was selected by the Library of Congress as one of 89 "Living Legends" on its 200th anniversary. [93][98], In March 2013, Carson announced he would retire as a surgeon, saying he would "much rather quit when I'm at the top of my game". [51], Carson has said that he protected white students in a biology lab after a race riot broke out at his high school in response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. News. [73], Carson was then accepted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine neurosurgery program, where he served one year as a surgical intern and five years as a neurosurgery resident, completing the final year as chief resident in 1983. He has served as a local elder and Sabbath School teacher in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is a member of Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church. [207] On March 20, 2018, Carson testified before the United States House Committee on Appropriations that he had "dismissed" himself from the decision to buy the $31,000 dining room set and "left it to my wife, you know, to choose something". [190], In summer 2017, Carson allowed his son, Baltimore businessman, Ben Carson Jr., to participate in organizing a HUD "listening tour" in Baltimore. View results. Dr. Ben Carson overcame obstacles with mom's help. "[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. ", "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? [59][41][60][61] He wanted to attend college farther away than his brother who was at the University of Michigan. [75] Carson said he would have readily accepted his responsibility to fight had he been drafted,[75] but he "identified strongly with the anti-war protesters and the revolutionaries" and enthusiastically voted for anti-war Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern in 1972. Carson has been awarded 38 honorary doctorate degrees and dozens of national merit citations. 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. [70][71] In 1973, Carson graduated with a B.A. Ben Carson has made his mother's life story a central part of his campaign, describing how Sonya Carson guided him and his brother out of poverty He has said she was one of 24 siblings -. [244][245][246] He has said his main reason for becoming vegetarian was health concerns, including avoiding parasites and heart disease, and he emphasizes the environmental benefits of vegetarianism. ', "New front-runner Ben Carson faces closer scrutiny of his life story", "Benjamin S. Carson, M.D. "[176] He was eventually offered the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, which he accepted. CBS News described Carson's narrative of "overcoming impossible odds as a child growing up in an impoverished, single-parent household to reach international prominence as a pediatric neurosurgeon" as "a key part of his presidential campaign". But 27-year-old Karly Bailey isn't impressed with Ben Carson's achievements. [120] Over that period, Carson received over $4 million from 141 paid speeches, between $1.1 million and $6 million in book royalties, between $200,000 and $2 million as a contributor to The Washington Times and Fox News, and between $2 million and $10 million as a member of the boards of Kellogg Co. and Costco Wholesale Corp.[120] He resigned from Costco's board in mid-2015, after serving on it for more than 16 years. Ben Carson, in full Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr., (born September 18, 1951, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.), American politician and neurosurgeon who performed the first successful separation of conjoined twins who were attached at the back of the head (occipital craniopagus twins). [97], According to The Washington Post, the Binder surgery "launched the stardom" of Carson, who "walked out of the operating room that day into a spotlight that has never dimmed", beginning with a press conference that was covered worldwide and created name recognition leading to publishing deals and a motivational speaking career. [23] In 1950, Carson's parents purchased a new 733-square foot single-family detached home on Deacon Street in the Boynton neighborhood in southwest Detroit. The Wall Street Journal attempted to verify Carson's account, reporting that Yale undergraduate courses were identified with only two digits in the early 1970s, that Yale had offered no course called "Perceptions 301" at the time, and that Carson's photo had never appeared in the Yale Daily News. Fox Business reported that "Carson's outsider status is growing his small business support base." The only jurisdiction he carried in the primaries was in the Alaska caucuses in which he won a single state house district, but this did not result in any delegates for his campaign from Alaska since the required threshold of votes statewide was not met. Ben Carson was born into poverty in Detroit and raised by a single mother. This is fully in line with Adventist teaching, which promotes annihilationism. [51][52] After this incident, Carson said he began reading the Book of Proverbs and applying verses on anger. Ben Carson and his brother were raised in inner-city Detroit, with their odds of becoming successful almost non-existent, yet Ben eventually became the head of the pediatric neurosurgery unit at Johns Hopkins, largely due to his mother's influence. [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. [93] The Binder surgery served as a blueprint for similar twin separations, a procedure that was refined in subsequent decades. Encouraged by John M. Freeman,[90] he refined the procedure in the 1980s and performed it many times. [240] Some Adventists have argued that Carson's political positions on gun rights and religious liberty conflict with historic Adventist teachings in favor of nonviolence, pacifism, and the separation of church and state. Doubts were raised about this story in 2015 during Carson's presidential campaign. [27][28] At the age of five, his mother learned that his father had a prior family and had not divorced his first wife. Dr. Carson. [245][246] Speaking in 1990, he said that with the increasing availability of meat substitutes, "It might take 20 years. Sonya moved her sons to Boston where she lived with her sister for a short time. In a February 2019 interview Carson suggested that he would leave HUD at the end of Trumps term in 2021. : 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? "[127][128], Carson was the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 7, 2013. He polled 10% to Mitt Romney's 20%, but in the same poll with Romney removed from the list, Carson polled 11% to Jeb Bush's 14%. Although surgically a success, the twins continued to experience neurologic/medical complications. He received numerous awards during his career, including the 2008 Presidential Medal of Freedom, given to him by U.S. Pres. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ben-Carson, BlackPast - Biography of Benjamin S. Carson, Academy of Achievement - Biography of Benjamin S. Carson, The HistoryMakers - Biography of Benjamin Carson, Benjamin S. Carson, Sr. - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Ben Carson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), United States presidential election of 2016, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Department of Housing and Urban Development. [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. However, most of the money went to political consultants and fundraising rather than advertising. Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, Carson would send arms to Ukraine to aid it in its fight against pro-Russian rebels. It has awarded 6,700 scholarships. He could have been offered a scholarship by a private donor if he applied for admission and attended. [253] Detroit Public Schools opened the Dr. Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine[254] for students interested in pursuing healthcare careers. The success of the procedure and the reconstructive techniques employed gained Carson world renown as a pediatric neurosurgeon. Carson was also offered a cabinet position in the administration. [233] Although Carson is an Adventist, the church has officially cautioned church employees to remain politically neutral. Carson's relationship with Mannatech continued after the company paid $7 million in 2009 to settle a deceptive-marketing lawsuit in Texas over claims that its products could cure autism and cancer. Carson declined, citing preparations for his 2016 presidential campaign. [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.