Donald Trump brushed away criticism of his appointing a number of billionaires and millionaires to his administration (his cabinet is now worth a collective $14.5 billion) by saying that he wants “people that made a fortune!” reports Fortune.

• Politico: Conway: Former Ford CEO Mulally Being Considered for Secretary of State
• WEEI-FM: Sources: Former Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine Being Considered for United States Ambassador to Japan
• Free Beacon: Top Ten Reasons Andy Puzder Is a Great Pick for Labor Secretary
• WashTimes: CNN Documentary: Republicans Are Racists for Opposing Obama
• Politico: Trump Builds a Brass Cabinet

President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday nominated Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt is a man who has long fought the very agency he is being nominated to lead, reports The Washington Post.

• Daily Caller: DNC Official Shared Political Intel With Turkish Government Officials, Paid For Pro-Turkey Op-Ed
• Politico: Reid Predicts Death of Filibuster
• The Hill: Poll: Americans Split On Government’s Role In Health Insurance
• Weekly Standard: Congress to Crack Down on Business with Iran, Leading Republican Says
• Daily Caller: Maryland Students Outraged After President Defends Illegal Immigrants in Spanish

Hours after Donald Trump promised to kill the Air Force One procurement program, Boeing Chief Executive Dennis A. Muilenburg spoke with the president-elect on Tuesday, promising to work with the new administration and to keep the costs of the program down, reports The Washington Post.

• Newsmax: Trump Right to Worry About AT&T, Time Warner Merger
• Columbus Dispatch: Ohio House Joins Senate In Approving Heartbeat Abortion Bill
• Bloomberg: Trump Picks Iowa Governor Branstad as China Ambassador
• WashTimes: House Republicans Derail Impeachment Effort Against IRS Commissioner
• Bloomberg: Majority of Americans Say Trump Can Keep Businesses, Poll Shows