Celebrities, Businessmen, Politicians: Trump Continues Transition

WASHINGTON DC -- Another day, another Donald Trump appointment.  In the latest move, the Trump transition team has announced businessman and fast food CEO Andy Puzder as Labor Secretary nominee. 

He's also picked Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, R-WA, for Secretary of Interior. 

Watch the CBN News profile of Cathy McMorriss Rodgers from 2014.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Trump held meetings with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis, plus actor Leonardo Dicaprio.  

"We had a great meeting to talk about our transition. We’re very excited about getting to work and hitting the ground running in 2017,” Ryan told reporters gathered in Trump Towers.  

Dicaprio, a noted environmentalist, reportedly discussed ways to create American jobs using clean renewable energy.

The Revenant actor’s views may be in stark contrast with those of Trump’s pick for EPA Secretary, Scott Pruitt.

Pruitt has been an avid EPA opponent and will reportedly work to overturn much of the Obama administration's environmental measures. 

And while the appointments are coming fast and furious so is the criticism.

Opponents feel Trump is leaning toward too many “billionaires and generals.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called HUD appointee Dr. Ben Carson “disturbingly unqualified.”

Deana Bass, former press secretary for the Carson campaign disagrees.

“He is thoughtful. He is pragmatic. He has worked in a world that requires outcomes and results,“ defended Bass.

Bass tells CBN News the newest headline, saying that Carson never actually lived in public housing, doesn’t really impact his ability to do the job.

“People who say that his skills as a world renowned neurosurgeon who has solved the most complex problems the medical world has ever known, don’t transfer to being able to solve problems in HUD simply are wrong,” Bass began.

“They can’t understand the nuances of being a solutionist, of being a problem solver.  Dr. Carson has brought together teams of diverse individuals with different skill sets to solve problems that have never been solved,” she concluded.

The other big headline: Trump will stay on as executive producer of NBC’s The Apprentice.  

Looking ahead to next week, the president elect will meet with former presidential candidate Rick Santorum and campaign rival Carly Fiorina. 

But not before taking in a football game.  He’s headed to the annual Army-Navy matchup on Saturday in Baltimore.