Trump Taps Lee Zeldin to Head EPA; Russia Says Reports of Trump-Putin Phone Call 'Pure Fiction’

President-elect Trump has tapped former congressman Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump says Zeldin will ensure fair and fast decisions to unleash the power of American businesses. The president-elect added that he would do so while maintaining the highest environmental standards -- including the cleanest air and water on the planet. Zeldin’s appointment will need to be approved by the Senate.

The Kremlin has rejected a report suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with President-elect Trump about the War in Ukraine. The Washington Post reported Sunday that Trump told Putin not to escalate the conflict given the U.S. military presence in Europe. The report was based on anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Trump's communication director did not comment on the report.

Democratic congressman Ruben Gallego has been projected as the winner in the Arizona U.S. Senate race over former newscaster Kari Lake according to the Associated Press. Gallego has 50% of the vote, with 95% counted. Lake had around 48% — a gap of nearly 73 thousand votes. Gallego wrote “Gracias, Arizona!” on X shortly after the race was called Monday evening.