Scott Turner Confirmed as HUD Secretary Amid Bipartisan Senate Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Scott Turner, a former NFL player and Texas state legislator, was confirmed as the next secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Wednesday by a bipartisan Senate vote of 55-44. Turner, nominated by President Donald Trump in November, overcame a key procedural hurdle on Tuesday night, setting the stage for his confirmation.

Turner, who played nine seasons in the NFL with teams including the former Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos, transitioned to politics after his football career. He served as a Texas state legislator before joining the Trump administration as the first executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.

In his November announcement, President Trump praised Turner’s leadership, stating that he had led “an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Trump highlighted Turner’s work with former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, overseeing 16 federal agencies and implementing over 200 policy actions that spurred economic development. “Under Scott’s leadership, Opportunity Zones received over $50 Billion Dollars in Private Investment!” Trump wrote.

Turner’s confirmation marks the 12th Cabinet-level appointment in Trump’s second term. The Republican-led Senate has prioritized confirming Trump’s nominees, outpacing the pace of confirmations during both Trump’s first term and President Joe Biden‘s administration. At this point in their respective terms, both Biden and Trump had only six confirmations.

Two Democrats joined Republicans in voting for Turner’s confirmation, making the vote bipartisan. His confirmation reflects the GOP’s focus on advancing Trump’s agenda in the final months of his presidency.