President Donald Trump announced that\u00a0Dr. Ben Carson\u00a0will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, noting that there will be a ceremony at the White House to honor him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Trump\u00a0said on Saturday he will award Ben Carson, his first-term Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation\u2019s highest civilian honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe are going to be presenting Dr.\u00a0Ben Carson\u00a0with the highest civilian award and honor in our country. It\u2019s the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, which is our highest military award. It\u2019s the Presidential Medal of Freedom,\u201d Trump said in remarks at an event hosted by the American Cornerstone Institute, which Carson founded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Trump said he plans to have a ceremony for Carson at the White House but did not specify timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Congratulations Ben. He didn’t know this. He didn’t know it. I hope he’s happy,”\u00a0Trump said<\/a>\u00a0after making the announcement at the conclusion of his remarks at the American Cornerstone Institute’s Founders’ Dinner on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump recently said he would posthumously award conservative activist\u00a0Charlie Kirk\u00a0the Presidential Medal of Freedom after he was fatally shot on Sept. 10 at an open-air event at Utah Valley University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n