President Donald Trump has announced the nomination of Andrew Hughes, former Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and Executive Director of the American Cornerstone Institute, to serve as Deputy Secretary of HUD. The role of HUD Deputy Secretary acts in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer within HUD.
“I am very excited about the nomination of Andrew Hughes to serve as Deputy Secretary for HUD,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner via X. “He is a true American patriot, a servant leader, and we are blessed to call him a friend and brother! Thank you @realDonaldTrump for your trust and confidence in Andrew!”
Hughes served HUD under the leadership of Ben Carson, the 17th Secretary of HUD from 2017-2021, as HUD Chief of Staff. Hughes began at HUD as Department Liaison to the first Trump administration in January 2017. HUD’s Chief of Staff is responsible for reassigning staff and is consulted on policy or official acts by the Secretary. Prior to that, Hughes worked on Carson’s presidential effort, and then served in a similar capacity for three months with Trump’s first presidential campaign.
Carson took to Instagram to congratulate his former Chief of Staff: “Andrew Hughes has served right by my side for the better half of the last decade. During this time, he has proven himself dependable, hardworking, and dedicated to serving the American people in every instance. His housing experience and leadership skills make him a natural fit for this role. President Trump made a fantastic choice by nominating Andrew as HUD’s next Deputy Secretary, and he has my full support.”
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott added, “Under the leadership of Secretary Ben Carson, and now under Secretary Scott Turner, Andrew Hughes has been a critical advisor in implementing President Trump’s housing agenda and helping more Americans achieve the American Dream of homeownership. As Deputy Secretary of HUD, I’m confident Andrew will continue his efforts to reform failed federal housing policies, increase accountability, and make housing more affordable for all Americans.”
President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Bob Broeksmit, CMB, showed his support for Hughes as well: “On behalf of MBA, I congratulate Andrew Hughes on being nominated to serve as the next Deputy Secretary at HUD. His prior experience as HUD Chief of Staff for Secretary Ben Carson gives him a unique perspective on ways to improve HUD’s operations, including its programs to support affordable homeownership and rental housing opportunities. MBA stands ready to work with him, Secretary Scott Turner, and the broader HUD staff on policies and program enhancements that increase housing supply, improve affordability, and lower costs for consumers while protecting taxpayers. We also look forward to engaging with HUD’s leadership to address challenges and opportunities within the agency, including improving technology and efficiency and ensuring FHA remains a viable financing option for single-family and multifamily markets.”
