Trump Names Former NFL Player Scott Turner as HUD Secretary Nominee
Turner will oversee an agency tasked with enforcing fair housing laws, providing mortgage insurance for prospective homeowners, and offering rental subsidies to low-income families.
WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Scott Turner, a former NFL player and seasoned public servant, to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If confirmed by the Senate, Turner will oversee an agency tasked with enforcing fair housing laws, providing mortgage insurance for prospective homeowners, and offering rental subsidies to low-income families.
Turner, 52, brings extensive experience to the role, having served as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. The council, established in 2018, worked to attract public and private investments to low-income census tracts designated as “opportunity zones” under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These zones created tax incentives to boost real estate and business development in economically distressed areas.
During his tenure, Turner collaborated with former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, overseeing 16 federal agencies and implementing more than 200 policy actions designed to stimulate economic growth. Trump highlighted Turner’s leadership in announcing the nomination, calling it an “unprecedented effort that transformed our country’s most distressed communities.”
In addition to his prior government role, Turner currently chairs the Center for Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute, an organization closely aligned with Trump’s policy agenda.
A native of Texas, Turner is no stranger to tackling challenges. Before entering public service, he played nine seasons in the NFL as a cornerback for the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins), San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos after being drafted out of the University of Illinois in 1995.
Turner’s political career began with an unsuccessful bid for California’s 50th Congressional District in 2006, but he later served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2012 to 2017. During his tenure, he gained a reputation for advocacy and leadership, although his bid for the Texas House speakership fell short.
With a background spanning professional sports, state politics, and federal leadership, Turner’s nomination signals a continued emphasis on urban revitalization and economic development in Trump’s incoming administration. If confirmed, he will face the critical task of addressing housing inequality and improving living conditions for millions of Americans.
