Ben Carson Says He Doesn't Want to be in Trump's Cabinet Because He Has No Government Experience

Ben Carson opts out of Trump's cabinet because he doesn't have the proper experience.

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Complex Original

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Ben Carson has opted out of jockeying for one of the spots on Donald Trump's political team, citing his lack of government experience. Instead of joining the president-elect's cabinet, Carson's business manager Armstrong Williams told The Hill that Carson would continue to serve as Trump's unofficial advisor. 

"Dr. Carson was never offered a specific position, but everything was open to him," Williams told The Hill of his decision. "Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience. He's never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency." Prior to running as a for President as a Republican, Carson worked as a neurosurgeon. 

Carson's decision to pull himself out of the running may puzzle people who voted for Trump, given that the president-elect doesn't have any government experience either. And Carson might have fit right in, seeing how Trump has appointed his eldest children Eric and Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner to his transition team, despite their lack of experience and the strong possibility of a conflict of interest.

Carson's graceful bow out follows Congressman Mike Rogers, who announced early Tuesday that he would be parting ways from Trump's team. That still leaves a long list of possible contenders, however. The president-elect may be considering Rudy Giuliani for Attorney General, Newt Gingrich for Secretary of State, and Kellyanne Conway for a position as his his Senior Advisor. 

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