WASHINGTON — In a flurry of nominations on Friday, President-elect Donald Trump tapped former NFL player and White House official Scott Turner to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

What You Need To Know

  • Turner grew up in Texas and played for nine years in the NFL

  • After retiring from football, Turner jumped into politics. He unsuccessfully ran to represent California’s 50th Congressional District in 2006, and afterwards, he moved back to north Texas

  • In 2012, he was elected to the Texas House and was there until 2017

  • As HUD secretary, Turner would be in charge of enforcing federal and urban housing laws

Turner grew up in Texas and played for nine years in the NFL with three teams, the Washington Redskins–who recently changed its name to the Washington Commanders–the San Diego Chargers–who have since moved to Los Angeles–and the Denver Broncos.

After retiring from football, Turner jumped into politics. He unsuccessfully ran to represent California’s 50th Congressional District in 2006, and afterwards, he moved back to north Texas.

In 2012, he was elected to the Texas House and was there until 2017. He attempted to become state House speaker but was unsuccessful.

This isn’t Turner’s first time working in the Trump administration. During Trump’s first term, he ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, which was created in 2018 to help coordinate investments in low-income areas coined “opportunity zones.” 

In a statement, Trump said Turner in his first term had helped to “lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.”

As HUD secretary, Turner would be in charge of enforcing federal and urban housing laws. The department was created back in 1965 by another Texan, President Lyndon B. Johnson.