Return to Transcripts main page

Inside Politics

President Trump Is Skipping His New Year's Eve Party At Mar-a- Largo Amid The Government Shutdown; Arizona Republican John Kyl's Last Day As A Senator; Russia Has Detained A U.S. Citizen And Accused Him Of Spying. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired December 31, 2018 - 12:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[12:30:00]

MARGARET TALEV, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, BLOOMBERG: The Senate have already said that's a no go with them. They'll figure out how to begin negotiating this.

And then the president's got these two events coming up later in January, right. He's got a trip to Davos, where he's going to appear before the global economy and talk about how strong the United States is.

So the optics of the government not functioning then are not ideal, but maybe he could message it for - in some way. And then he's got the State of the Union a couple of weeks, we think, after that, right.

So between those events and between people not getting their paychecks, there's going to be increasing pressure on him to try to find some way to say that he has won and get this over with.

RACAHEL BADE, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, POLITICO: Can I just make a quick point there, too? I mean while he's out there saying - or the White House is out there saying we are digging in, we're not budging, he is, you know, sending -

TALEV: Yes, of course.

BADE: - officials out there to sort of gauge whether Democrats will actually (inaudible) Pence -

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But that's the issue, right?

BADE: Yes, but the -

MATTINGLY: Nobody knows what the White House wants.

BADE: And the Democrats - and they don't trust these people he's sending out. Like Mike Pence trying to strike a deal with Schumer before the shutdown actually happened. Schumer, he didn't know if could trust him; he didn't know if the president was going to change his mind.

Nobody speaks for the president, but the president himself. And right now, we're seeing the same thing happen with Lindsey Graham. He had lunch with the president on Sunday; he's out there -

MATTINGLY: Hang on; I actually - I want to play what Lindsey Graham said, right. He floated, as a potential idea; take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-SC: But after lunch, I've never been more encouraged. If we can get people talking, we can find our way out of this mess. The president didn't commit, but I think he's very open- minded.

I know there are some Democrats out there who would be willing to provide money for wall border security, if we could deal with the DACA population and TPS people, and hopefully we can get some serious discussions started maybe as soon as next week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: So we've got about 30 seconds. I don't know - I know he's been reaching out to Democrats; I don't know many Democrats who think that's on the table. Are you hearing that Democrats think that's on the table?

BADE: No, definitely not at this point. I think that everybody thought at one point, a year ago, that wall money for a DACA fix was the ultimate, you know, something that they could put together.

But the president, he heard from the far right, and they didn't want to any sort of DACA fix. And so, he sided with them, in terms of taking this to a shutdown. Perhaps he has learnt his lesson that this shutdown, he's not going to get anything from it because he's probably not.

And then maybe he changes gears and does some sort of bipartisan deal. But right now, it seems like he is afraid of the word "compromise," and that's why he's sending all these people to do that dirty work and try to talk with the Democrats.

MATTINGLY: The only takeaway from this block is Margaret Talev believed Davos is the backstop -

(LAUGHTER)

- which means got, oh you know, just about three more weeks of a partial shutdown and putting things back (ph) -

TALEV: It's entirely possible.

MATTINGLY: (Inaudible) get - get the puffy coat.

TALEV: I'm working on it.

BADE: The boots.

MATTINGLY: And boots, yes; those are the key things. All right, up next, an American citizen detained in Russia and accused of being a spy - with a live report from Moscow. And you're looking at pictures of the Pope greeting worshippers on New Year's Eve. We'll be right back.

[12:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MATTINGLY: Topping our political radar, President Trump is skipping his New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Largo amid the government shutdown. Instead, he will appear on Fox News, where he'll likely weigh in on everything from the government shutdown to what he hopes to accomplish in 2019.

And today is Arizona Republican John Kyl's last day as a Senator. Again, the Governor appointed him to the position after Senator John McCain died back in August from his battle with cancer.

Now, Republican Congresswoman, Martha McSally will take over the seat. She'll be sworn in with the new class of Senators in just a few days.

And Russia has detained a U.S. citizen and accused him of spying. Now, he could face up to 20 years in prison if he's found guilty. Let's check in now with CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Matthew Chance, live from Moscow.

And Matthew, obviously, this is something that I think is drawing everybody's eyeballs right now. What more are you learning about this?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, not a great deal is the short of it I'm afraid, Phil. Look, just a few hours ago it was the Russian FSB, which is the main counter espionage agency in this country that made this announcement, they'd arrested a U.S. citizen. They'd done it in Moscow, the Russian capital, on December 28, so it was a couple of days ago before the actually announced it. They've named him as Paul Whelan, but not other details have been given about him at all.

We've been in touch with, obviously, the U.S. embassy here, the state department have issued a statement saying that they're aware of this detention and they've asked the consular access and they expect that the Russian authorities will grant that, but at this stage, they said in their statements, they're not prepared, for privacy reasons, to divulge anymore information. So, we're not clear about the circumstances in which this actually took place.

But, clearly, at the end of the year like this, it's almost like fitting that a year that's been dominated by espionage allegations between Russia and the United States should end in this way. It was just a couple of weeks ago, remember, that Maria Butina, who's a Russian pro-gun activist, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a U.S. court. She's being held there. She faces up to six months in prison.

This character, Paul Whelan, if he's found guilty of espionage, he could face, as you mentioned, up to 20 years in a Russian jail. And so, it's a sort of category of crime, if you like, which is far, far greater Phil.

MATTINGLY: Yes, Matthew Chance in Moscow. No shortage of intrigue on this one. I know you'll keep a close eye on it. I think pretty much everybody will, particularly in the U.S. government. Thank you very much Matthew.

Multiple generals hit at the president in the past 24 hours. Up next, what happened to the days of, quote, "my generals?"

(IBEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I see my generals, those generals are going to keep us so safe.

My generals are the most respected that we've had in many decades I would -- I believe.

All I can do -- all I can do is ask my generals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MATTINGLY: President Trump defending and apparently amending his Syria pull out pan today, tweeting quote, we're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants.

He responded to criticism by emphasizing that leaving Syria was always the plan and that quote, some failed generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived like to complain about me and my tactics which are working.

Now keep in mind, this all comes on General James Mattis's last day as defense secretary. But the handover will not have any New Years Eve midnight flare. Instead, it will be a short scripted phone call taking Patrick Shanahan from deputy acting secretary.

[12:45:00]

The transition expedited by the president comes two months sooner than Mattis planned.

CNN's Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon. And Barbara, you've been reporting. The transition is actually pretty fascinating. What actually happens and what is Mr. Shanahan actually walking in to here?

BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hi, Phil. Well, this is as you said a scripted phone call. General Mattis will put -- his communication's team will place a call to Shanahan. They will have a brief conversation and by all accounts, it is simply pro forma.

Shanahan will take control; have all the authorities and command authorities of being secretary of defense. And the White House will be informed. The call will be completed by 11:159 tonight.

It comes on that Mattis's last day when he issued a final message if you will to the troops, always the military historian, quoting President Lincoln. But going on with perhaps what might be a slight dig at President Trump who he did not mention in his final message. But let me read to you what Secretary Mattis had to say to the troops.

He said and I quote, our department's leadership, civilian and military remains in the best possible hands. Our department is proven to be at it's best when the times are most difficult. So, keep the faith in our country and hold fast alongside our allies, aligned against our foes.

Alongside our allies, a bit of a dig at the president what Mattis perceives to be the president's isolation, this comes as you say, Shanahan takes office and he will have to sort out what the withdrawal will plan for those troops in Syria might be over the weekend, Lindsey Graham having a meeting with the president.

It looks now like the president's rapid withdrawal may, just may not be so rapid. But no real answers to the questions about what happens next -- Phil.

MATTINGLY: That's why we have you Barbara, to find out all those answers. Thank you very much, Barbara Starr over at the Pentagon. Yes, a new (inaudible) of things for the new soon to be acting secretary of defense to do.

But I want to play -- Barbara mentioned Lindsey Graham at the White House yesterday, which God bless Lindsey providing news on a Sunday where we all need sound. Came out and he was talking about the Syria issue, which obviously is very big for him. And he was very angry about it. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), S.C.: I think the president has come up with a plan with his generals that make sense to me. The goal is to make sure ISIS doesn't come back. I think the president's taking this really seriously. And the trip to Iraq was well timed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: So, here was what I was struck by. And this isn't a criticism (inaudible). Before the decision was made, it was reported by Barbara and others and I think everybody else at this table that James Mattis came to the White House, the Oval Office and basically presented to the president why this was not a good idea.

And why he thought it was bad strategically. And it didn't have nay effect and therefore James Mattis is now no longer secretary of defense. Now, Lindsey Graham says the president has been briefed by his generals and he's revising, changing. Like what happened?

TALEV: The president's been briefed by Lindsey Graham also, international security advisor and every member of the military and congress and foreign allies. I mean, what happened is that the president has been wanting to get out of Syria for a year and a half, keeps talking about it.

He keeps meeting with people who keep telling him timing's not right at a lot of moving parts. And does the call (inaudible) where he is supposed to be telling (inaudible) one thing which is like cool off on the border so we can focus on the serious stuff. And end up getting convinced and pull his troops out, right?

And the -- not just the decision but the way which the decision was made so perplexing, that Mattis decides he can no longer stay. And that he has to do sort of this process act of resigning. So, that's what happened. And then that created it's own crisis on confidence which paved the way for Lindsey Graham's visit to the White House..

In which he among others say to the president look, we know that you want to get out of Syria. But of you do it this way, this is what's going to happen to the (inaudible). This is the impact it's going to have.

Israel says, we are not comfortable with this. And it is that sort of combination, not just of the pressure inside the U.S. but of voices like from Israel I think that have helped the president finally now within Mattis's way slow down the train.

MATTINGLY: Jill, I want to turn to you. You covered his campaign. You have heard pull out of Syria since the early days in the campaign which somehow you made it through alive given just how much he was doing. I never quite understood how you guys had the stamina for that.

But what is different now? He's saying look, I campaigned on this, this is what I said. I want it t happen now. Why -- Margaret laid out all the issues, but why is this not something he can do?

JILL COLVIN, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Well, I mean the president has this kind of way of operating where like Margaret described. He had this phone call and seemingly decided at that moment that he was going to make this decision to go forward with what he in his head had thought.

He'd been having arguments with Mattis and other people about this strategy. Similar thing happens -- has been happening with Afghanistan where the president has again and again said this is what I want to do. This is the promise I made, why aren't we doing this?

[12:50:00]

And you've had people like Mattis, the other generals around him trying to convince him not to do it. But, I think we also have to look somewhat skeptically at that Graham meeting.

Look, to be very clear, the president does respond differently when he is hearing an argument from someone he likes, someone he feels like he trusts and potentially he's more likely to listen to Graham than he was to Mattis. But the president also really likes to make people, he's one-on-one

with feel like they're being listened to and very often people walk out of one-on-one meetings with the president thinking he's agreed to something, when in fact, he hasn't.

BADE: And they haven't been specific about that wording. How long is slowing down the withdrawal of troops in Syria. He left that very ambiguous and I think it's noteworthy that Lindsey Graham didn't come to the cameras and say, look, I changed the president's mind. He's backing down. He was very diplomatic, he knows how to talk to the president to say, just slow it down. He's still going to pull out, that's still the end goal, but slow it down a little bit.

But, I also think that this is -- this highlights the bigger debate in the Republican Party, and that is that, Republican's are torn right now, between do they want to be these military hawks or the isolationists are growing in the Party right now, the folks like Rand Paul who don't want the U.S. in all these places in the Middle East, and obviously the president is still siding with those folks.

MATTINGLY: Yes, keep a close eye on this, because I know you're aware of this too, I haven't seen the blowback in the Hill related to a presidential decision as loud and as public and as on the record as it was with anything that he's done over the course of the last two years, than what happened with Syria.

We've got to go, but I think this is something that like everybody should pay attention to. Because, when people start to break from him, it's noteworthy, because they haven't so much for the better part of the last two years.

All right, up next, if you forgot just how crazy 2018 was in Washington, good news, we are about to remind you.

[12:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I try like hell to hide that bald spot, folks; I work hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Yes, to anybody who thinks he's changed the presidency or the presidency changed him (ph). All right, that was President Trump speaking - Trump speaking at CPAC last February - one of the many, many, many, many, many, many memorable moments from him in 2018.

We want to end the show by letting our reporters around the table share some of their headlines from covering this administration; and there are a lot of headlines. Jill, let's start with you.

COLVIN: Yes, so one of my favorites that sticks out from the very beginning of the year was the moment wherein Ronny Jackson, the president's doctor, came to brief the press on the president's latest physical, and went out there and told us that the president had taken this cognitive test to try to quell some of the questions that were being raised at the time, about whether the president was experiencing some kind of senility or at least early Alzheimer's.

It was just this incredible moment that clearly the president was very impressed by. He winds up tapping Jackson to be the new VA secretary; we all know that ended very, very badly for Jackson.

MATTINGLY: Yes, quite a year for Ronny Jackson. Rachel?

BADE: I - other (ph) end of the year, just a few weeks ago, a lot of us thought that the president was going to OK this temporary spending measure that kicks everything without the border wall into next year.

He was tweeting that morning that he was going to potentially try to wall (ph) to an infrastructure deal with Democrats. So it looked like he was caving. A couple of hours later passed, and all of a sudden he's saying he's not going to sign a CR without the border. And this is where we are at the shutdown today.

Well, it turns out that Mark Meadows had phoned him, and had been phoning him for the past few days. This is a conservative in the House who's very close with the President, and he said listen, you have to do this now for your base, or, you know, they're going to retaliate - not retaliate, but they're going to be really upset if you don't fight for this now.

I picked this story because it perfectly shows how Trump has totally changed the paradigm in Washington. He used to - president's used to sort of coordinate with GOP leadership or the leadership on the Hill. But these days, if you're close with the president and you were an early ally of his, you know, you're the one who has the most influence, Mark Meadows.

MATTINGLY: And demise of the freedom caucus is greatly exaggerated at this point. Franco?

FRANCO ORDONEZ, NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, PBS: One of my favorite stories was about how Trump's policies - trade policies have impacted farmers in the Midwest. I've read a story about how it was really impacting their pocketbook, as agriculture prices were going up - particularly for soybeans.

I think it reflected the kind of frustration that many Midwest farmers had in their lack of patience, or their limited patience with the policies. But at the same time, I also think it showed how Trump still keeps a grip on many voters in that Midwest rural America, because they were sticking by him; and also I just really enjoyed riding a combine.

MATTINGLY: Such an important (inaudible) -

(LAUGHTER)

TALEV: You got to enjoy your work, right. Probably my most intense news experience of the year was an interview we did with President Trump in late August. It was suppose to be 20 minutes; it turned into about 45 minutes, 50 minutes.

We got 15 stories out of it - everything from North Korea to Jeff Sessions to NAFTA. And then in sort of classic Trump twist, he later came out and publically falsely accused us leaking an off-the-record portion of the interview to a competing news outlet.

But I have to say that, that aside, I think the two important stories of the year are for journalists were the ones that were truly tragic - the mass killing at the Indianapolis Capital and Jamal Khashoggi's death. And to me, those represent the perils of what we do and why what we do is important.

MATTINGLY: No question about it. All right, thanks for joining us on Inside Politics. Brianna Keilar starts right now.

[13:00:00]