I went to work in the administration because newly confirmed HUD Secretary Ben Carson is a hero of mine. Like many young black men, I was inspired by Carson’s autobiography, “
Gifted Hands”; I worked on his presidential campaign during the 2016 primary; when he left the race, I became his communications director; when he was nominated for a Cabinet position, I advised him during his confirmation process; and when I was offered the opportunity to serve on his staff at HUD, I jumped at the chance. I filled out a questionnaire as part of a routine background check — submitting information on my past work, writing, social media accounts, etc. I looked forward to working on Carson’s innovative agenda, but the op-ed, in which I urged conservatives to “
stand up to Trump” for the sake of conservatism, was apparently a deal-breaker for the administration, and shortly thereafter I was let go.
Former GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson is now President Trump's housing and urban development secretary. Here's what you need to know about him. (Video: Sarah Parnass, Osman Malik/Photo: Joe Raedle/The Washington Post)
Were my words sharp? Yes. Do I stand by them? Yes. Trump wasn’t my first choice in 2016 — there were other GOP candidates whose views better matched my own. But my intent wasn’t to run Trump down. It was to encourage conservatives to hold the Republican Party accountable beyond Election Day, no matter who won. And to send a message to Trump that there’s a better way to pitch a conservative agenda to a diverse America. That there’s nothing wrong with saying “Make America great again,” but what that motto means sounds different depending on who says it, and who is listening.
For example, in October in Gettysburg, Pa., Trump was right
when he said that “we have failed our inner cities and in so doing have failed our African American and Hispanic communities.” But during his campaign, the crucial truth of those words was nearly always overshadowed by his frequent, attention-grabbing and many times off-putting query to minority voters: “What the hell do you have to lose?” One reason I wrote what I wrote is that I agree with many of Trump’s prescriptions for fixing what ails America — I just think he could use more helpful words to explain them.
I’m going to continue to fight for limited government, economic empowerment and traditional values, and I’m going to wish my former colleagues well. I hope this administration succeeds.
But I also hope that as time goes on, administration officials make room for people like me. And that they remember that no citizen, up to and including the president of the United States, is above reproach. When necessary, we should critique him and then follow that up by offering a candid assessment of the problems Americans face, and our own efforts at finding solutions. That’s what I believe I did in this situation, and that’s what I would do if I had to do it all over again.
