Maryland Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings declined an offer to tour a Baltimore Housing and Urban Development (HUD) facility with HUD secretary Ben Carson on Wednesday.

HUD invited Cummings to tour the facility with Carson on Tuesday, however Cummings rejected the invitation, the Daily Caller has learned.

When asked about Cummings’ absence at a press conference, Carson said that he did not know why Cummings did not attend the tour but guessed there may have been a scheduling issue.

WATCH – Ben Carson’s Full Press Conference:

The Daily Caller reported exclusively on Tuesday that Carson would visit Baltimore in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tweets calling the city a “rodent infested mess” in which no human being would want to live. Critics accused the president of employing racist attacks against the Maryland city and against Rep. Cummings. (RELATED: Ben Carson To Tour HUD Facility In Baltimore Following President’s Tweets)

Carson defended the president’s comments, telling Fox News, “While I was there, I worked on a lot of issues with many politicians, including Elijah Cummings, particularly in terms of childhood education and improving the life for the people … why not spend some time working more for these people, you know, who are suffering?”

Trump also recently said that he plans to visit Baltimore “at the right time.”