Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson unintentionally indicated that he is not satisfied with the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office (PPO) after his notes were visible to reporters at a Trump 2020 campaign event on Friday, Bloomberg reported.
Ahead of President Trump’s remarks at a Black economic empowerment event in Atlanta Friday afternoon, Carson spoke at a podium while holding a piece of paper with typed out statements that at one point became visible to reporters.
“I am very loyal to you and after you win I hope to stay in your administration,” the notes said. “I am not happy with the way PPO is handling my agency.”
According to Bloomberg, Carson did not read those remarks publicly at Friday’s event.
The PPO is responsible for vetting presidential appointments and hiring candidates to work throughout the White House’s various agencies.
The office is led by John McEntee, Trump’s former personal assistant who had been fired in 2018 for undisclosed reasons. Trump brought McEntee back on to oversee the PPO in February.
In some of the images of Carson’s notes tweeted by reporters on Friday, a line appeared to say, “I like John and respect what he is doing, however I am sensing a severe [illegible] of trust,” with Carson’s microphone blocking the illegible words.
The White House declined to comment when contacted by The Hill. The Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carson has continuously vocalized his support for Trump and the president’s reelection, challenging claims that Trump is racist in his address at the Republican National Convention last month.
“President Trump does not dabble in identity politics. He wants everyone to succeed and believes in the adage, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats,’ ” Carson said in his speech. “Many on the other side love to incite division by claiming that President Trump is a racist. They could not be more wrong.”