(CNN) Ben Carson gave a tepid explanation of his decision to endorse Donald Trump on Monday, saying even if Trump "turns out not to be such a great president ... we're only looking at four years." 
 
 Carson told Newsmax TV that he backed his former Republican presidential rival because "I'm a big picture guy." 
 
 "Even if Donald Trump turns out not to be such a great president, which I don't think is the case, I think he's going to surround himself with really good people," Carson said. "But even if he didn't, we're only looking at four years as opposed to multiple generations, and perhaps the loss of the American dream forever." 
 
 Noting that Trump would assemble a capable support system of "good people," Carson also revealed he was promised a role in a potential Trump administration. 
 
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 Ben Carson says Trump offered him a role in his administration 
 
 In an interview with NewsmaxTV on Monday, Dr. Ben Carson said that Republican frontrunner Donald Trump promised him a role in his potential administration. 
 
 Carson said Trump will “surround himself with very good people” and when asked if he would be one of those people, Carson said “I will be doing things as well, yes.” 
 
 Pressed on if that meant something in Trump’s administration, Carson responded “certainly in an advisory capacity.” Carson went on to say that it was something that had been determined when he sat down with Trump. 
 
 “We haven’t hammered out all the details, but it is very important we work together to save this country,” Carson said. 
 
 Asked if that meant a cabinet position, Carson said he couldn’t “reveal any details about it right now, because all of this is still very liquid." 
 
 A day after admitting all of this, Carson tweeted that he stands by his endorsement, which was "principled and not selfish." 
 
 Any candidate I endorsed would have caused a backlash. My decision was principled and not selfish. We must unify to defeat Clinton. — Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) March 15, 2016 
 
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– Out of the race for the Republican nominee, Ben Carson is setting his sights on the future—and a future position in Donald Trump's potential administration. In an interview with Newsmax TV on Monday, Carson said Trump had promised him some kind of role "certainly in an advisory capacity," per USA Today. He wouldn't specify if that meant a Cabinet position, noting "all of this is still very liquid" and "we haven't hammered out all the details, but it is very important we work together to save this country." Carson added that he would have preferred to endorse another candidate, but he "didn't see a path" to victory, per ThinkProgress. Trump will "surround himself with very good people" and "I will be doing things as well, yes," he added. Since buying a former candidate's endorsement with the promise of an appointment is illegal, Carson clarified on Tuesday that his decision to endorse Trump was "principled and not selfish." A rep for Trump tells CNN that "no role had been promised or even discussed," at least as of Friday.