If Donald Trump bests Ben Carson to win the White House, the former neurosurgeon may have a special place in Washington regardless — in the Trump administration.
Trump said Friday that he would “absolutely” put Carson in his Cabinet if he were to win the presidency.
“I would put him — I’d love to have that,” Trump said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Trump called Carson a “nice man” and said so far the two have had a “very good relationship,” seemingly ignoring a roughly two-week span in September during which the two traded jabs on faith and energy.
The real estate mogul said that while Carson would be “qualified” to win the GOP nomination and presidency, he wouldn’t do the job as well as a President Trump.
He doubted Carson’s abilities as a tough negotiator.
“I would say it’s not his wheelhouse, but that I don’t know,” Trump said.
However, there’s still room for Carson in Trump’s Washington.
“Certain elements of the administration, I think he’d be very good,” he said, ignoring a question about what those roles would be.
Trump also doubted another high profile Republican’s negotiating abilities — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
McCarthy is making a bid for speaker of the House, but has found himself embroiled in controversy almost immediately for comments he made about the Benghazi committee and its effect on Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers.
Trump said his comments could be “taken both ways,” but that Democrats and Hillary Clinton have taken them and are “running with it” to damage him and Republicans.
“Certainly he’s not off to a great start,” Trump said. “I watched that (comment), actually, and I was a little surprised by it. … It would have been nice if he didn’t say it, certainly, because then there would be no dispute.”
Trump said he’s not sure if McCarthy would make a good speaker.
“I would like to see someone that’s very tough and that can negotiate with the Democrats, and I don’t know that he’s that person,” Trump said. “We need somebody that’s a very, very tough, smart, cunning person. I don’t know that that’s him, and obviously this statement hurt him pretty badly in the eyes of some, unfortunately.”
As for his propensity to attack other Republicans, Trump said he’s only a “counterpuncher” and is actually hoping for party unity.
“It’d be nice if the Republican Party … if they could all come together,” Trump said. “I never attack first, I’d like to see the Republican Party get along.”