Scott Turner is the 19th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He is the first African American to hold a cabinet position in the Administration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. Eric Scott Turner was born on February 26, 1972, in Richardson, Texas. He is a fourth generation Texan.
Turnerโs parents divorced when he was eight years old. He graduated from J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson in 1990. While there he was a track and field star and cornerback on the high schoolโs Mustang football team. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a full academic scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications in 1994. While in college, Turner was a member of the menโs relay indoor team and gained recognition for his defensive skills on the Fighting Illini football team.
Turner began his professional football career in the NFL when he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played cornerback from 1995 to 1997 and married Robin Turner. The couple adopted his nephew, Solomon Turner. The Turners are members of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas where he serves as an associate pastor.
Turner continued his NFL career with the San Diego Chargers from 1998 to 2001 but had a brief stint with the Denver Broncos in 2003. During the off seasons, he served as an unpaid intern with California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter who represented part of San Diego. After a leg injury forced him to retire from professional football in 2004, Turner transitioned into a full-time political role with Congressman Hunter.
In 2006 Turner ran unsuccessfully for a San Diego area Congressional the seat. After losing the election he and his family moved to Frisco, Texas. His political career took a significant turn in 2012 when he won the Republican primary and subsequently defeated Libertarian candidate Michael Carrasco in the general election for the newly established 33rd District of the Texas House of Representatives. He received 85% of the vote. In 2015, Turner, although backed by the Tea Party Caucus, failed in his attempt to be elected Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Recognized for his leadership potential, Turner was featured on GOPACโs list of Emerging Leaders in the Republican Party in 2013. Turner served two consecutive terms until 2017. In 2019 President Donald Trump appointed him executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.
Following Turnerโs nomination for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by President Trump, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a 55-45 vote on February 5, 2025. Turner holds the cabinet post held by Dr. Ben Carson in the previous Trump Administration.
Shortly after taking office, Turner embarked on a tour of Philadelphia where he made headlines by announcing a stringent policy regarding undocumented immigrants in government-funded housing, emphasizing that HUD would prioritize American citizens for taxpayer-funded resources. This included halting taxpayer-supported Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages for undocumented immigrants.
HUD Secretary Scottโs dedication to public service has been recognized through numerous accolades, including an honorary doctorate from Dallas Baptist University, highlighting his contributions to sports and public leadership.
