Hes 48 years of age. He lives in a suburb of detroit, and he works as a Global Security consultant for a major auto parts manufacturer here in the detroit area. He was traveling, though, to russia as part of a personal trip. At least according to his family. They say he left here on the 22nd, got into russia, and that as a former marine, which he is, he was attending the wedding of another former marine who was marrying a russian woman. The wedding was supposed to take place on the 28th. Normally when hes traveling, the family says paul keeps in very close contact because his older parents live here. But on the 28th, everything went silent. They became gravely concerned, in fact, so concerned that actually when it was revealed he was detained by russian authorities, they were somewhat relieved because they feared for his life. They know how serious the circumstance is, but at least its better than fearing that someone is dead. The company he works for says he was not over there in any kind of official capacity. David, his twin brother, talks about the sort of work that paul does. He was responsible for looking at the physical security of sites for his employer. To make sure that things couldnt be stolen or broken into, to remove the opportunities for people to have access to things they shouldnt have access to. But it wasnt cybersecurity. It wasnt bodyguard type of security. It was much more about the physical plant. The company that paul whelan works for company, he has worked for them since 2018. The company confirmed he does work for them, but also stressing he was not over there for any kind of corporate business. They say they have no facilities in russia. He has worked for other American Companies in russia, but again, that was not his job at the time. His family is absolutely astounded that in any way he could be accused of spying. Wow, a lot of Unanswered Questions so far. Martin savidge with the story from michigan. Lets move now to moscow and our Senior International correspondent matthew chance. Matthew, the timing of this american being detained is very interesting with maria butina pleading guilty in federal court to conspiring to act as a foreign agent. That, of course, Vladimir Putins new years message to President Trump. What do you make of all this . Yeah. Look, the timing has certainly been commented on. It may or may not be relevant. No avoiding the fact it was just two weeks ago that maria butina, the progun lobbyist held in the United States, from russia, of course, after pleading guilty to conspiracy, u. S. Prosecutors alleged she attempted to infiltrate conservative groups like the National Rifle association, the republican party, inorder to influence prominent and important americans. She faces sentencing shortly. It could be six months, it could be a couple years depending on which lawyer you want to listen to. But its something thats absolutely angered the russians. They have expressed outrage at this, launched an internet based campaign to try to get her released. However, a week or so ago, Vladimir Putin gave an annual press conference in which he was asked about this. He said were not going to take measures of retribution. Were not, for instance, going to arrest an innocent person and try to swap them for maria butina. Thats essentially what he said. Then here we are on december 28th, this paul whelan was detained, caught spying, according to the counter Espionage Agency here. So yes, a lot of question marks being raised over the timing. All right. Matthew chance, thank you for that perspective from moscow. Lets talk more about this and get some analysis on the whelan arrest. Joining me now is steve hall, a Cnn National Security analyst, a retired cia chief of russia operations. So he knows a lot about what goes on in moscow. Steve, just kind of top line this for us. Paul whelans family says he was there for a wedding. There just traveling on personal business. The russian government is accusing him of spying. From your view, what do you think is going on here . Its my assessment that this is precisely what we would expect out of the russians, which is they understand the butina connection. They dont want maria butina to stay in the United States any longer than she has to. Her sentencing is coming up. This is not coincidental. This is the russians doing what they do well, which is reciprocity. Theyre going to say you arrested a russian citizen and now were going to arrest an american citizen on the hopes of putting pressure on the American Government to try to get whatever it is that they want, whatever end result they want out of the butina affair. Probably, i would imagine, short if no sentence followed quickly by deportation to russia. This is not just the russians who do this. The canadians are involved in a similar situation right now with the chinese. The North Koreans have made a habit of arresting americans and calling them spies for many years. This is just something that autocratic regimes who are able to do this without the rule of law oftentimes do. Thats what Vladimir Putin is up to now. Whelans family is insistent hes not a spy. You know a thing or two about spies having worked in the cia, especially in moscow. I would assume there are american spies operating on some level in russia. Would his family even know if he was involved in that type of intelligence operation . Well, again, this is not that situation. This is a situation where by you have simply almost a random american, although it is interesting that this individual, that mr. Whelan did have security responsibilities for the company he worked for, because of course, that allows the russians to say well, look, we have a former American Military officer. Hes a marine, and he worked for security. Therefore, he was up to no good. Its my assessment he was not up to no good. He was simply there for a wedding. This is politics, geopolitical pressure that putin is trying to exert on somebody we do know was working for the kremlin, which is maria butina. That extends out. Will the russians then provide anyway evidence of what they believe led them to believe that whelan is a spy . Oh, of course. The russians are magnificent, probably top of the line, id say, in terms of fabricating evidence. If you have questions about that, look up kyle hatcher and see what they did to an american diplomat, where they fabricated story, an entire story as to why he was up to no good, and he was not. The russians are definitely capable. Again, this is the great thing about living in an autokraes, they can make up whatever they want and they will. Now the question is, should the americans attempt to negotiate for whelans return back to the United States . And what would be the process to bring him home safely, and could it involve Marina Butina . I believe its going to have to involve maria butina. Again, its my assessment thats the thing motivating Vladimir Putin and the kremlin to do this. Then it becomes a political and policy issue as to whether or not well look at the laws maria butina broke when she was working for the kremlin and whether or not theres a way to reach an agreement to say you have an innocent american, we have maria butina. Lets see if we cant work something out. Thats a policy issue that has to be worked through by both governments. This is the price of doing business with russia or any autocracy, you have to deal with folks and sometimes barter like this. Steve hall, your insight and experience in this realm is invaluable in trying to unpack a story like this. We certainly appreciate you being on. Thank you. My pleasure. Coming up, 11 days in, and President Trump is taking aim at the democrats plan to reopen the government. So where does that leave negotiations right now . Plus, a new year and a new warning for the u. S. Why north korea says it may be forced to find a new way to settle peace. E safely. But allstate helps you. With drivewise. Feedback that helps you drive safer. And that can lower your cost now that you know the truth. Are you in good hands . I am not for just treating my symptoms. ahchoo i am for shortening colds when im sick. With zicam. Zicam is completely different. Unlike most other cold medicines. Zicam is clinically proven to shorten colds. I am a zifan for zicam. Oral or nasal. dealing with Psoriatic Arthritis pain was so frustrating. My skin. It was embarrassing. My joints. They hurt. The pain and swelling. The tenderness. The psoriasis. Tina i had to find something that worked on all of this. I found cosentyx. Now, watch me. 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With the Government Shutdown now into its 11th day, the president is slamming the democrats plan to reopen government as soon as the new congress convenes on thursday with the democrats in control of the house. President trump tweeting that democrats much as i suspected have allocated no money for a new wall, so imaginative. The problem is without a wall, there can be no real Border Security, and our country must finally have a strong and secure southern border. Jessica dean is following it all from the white house. Where do negotiations stand right now to get the government funded . Good morning to you, ryan. Right now, we remain at this stalemate. You really got at the crux of it there. On one side, you have President Trump who says we will have a wall, and i want 5 billion for it. And on the other side, the democrats who are saying look, were going to vote to reopen the government. We have this package we put together. It has 1. 3 billion, but only for Border Security. Were not funding wall. So you can see theyre not anywhere closer at this point to coming to an agreement on the wall and the funding for the wall. President trump talking to fox news yesterday. Listen to what he had to say. Im in washington. Im ready, willing, and able. Im in the white house. Im ready to go. They can come over right now. They could have come over any time. I spent christmas in the white house. I pent new years eve now in the white house, and you know, im here. Im ready to go. Its very important. A lot of people are looking to get their paycheck. And so im ready to go any time they want. No, we are not giving up. We have to have Border Security, and the wall is a big part of Border Security. The biggest part. You see there, really digging in on the wall, not coming off that. This is day 11 of this partial Government Shutdown. Its been five days since we laid eyes on the president. As you heard him talk about, he dpid cancel his plans to go to fl florida for both christmas and new years, but twitter has been his main mode of communication. Typically, you would see him, he would be talking to reporters, pushing out the information he wanted to in the shutdown in person, but really, we are just heard from twitter. Thats been his main mode of communication. We have seen a lot of tweets, but so far, no movement from the two sides getting any closer to the middle there. Very good point, jessica, about the way he has chosen to fight this battle while being holed up in the white house. Thank you from washington. So lets talk more about this. David drucker, cnn political analyst and senior Political Correspondent at the washington examiner, and catherine rampell, a cnn commentator and opinion columnist at the washington post. David, im wondering, if youre Mitch Mcconnell and see this maneuvering from nancy pelosi, which you probably assumed was going to happen, how do you respond to this . Do you pass a bill you have already passed in the senate, or do you wait on President Trump before you move this any further once the democrats send it your way . Look, i think Mitch Mcconnell has made it clear hes going to wait for President Trump and the democrats to cut a deal. He thought he had a deal with the president , and he had the entire republican conference essentially voice vote a deal and then the president backed off it. It was a deal none of the republicans liked but the president asked them to do it, then he changed his mind. I dont think youll see Mitch Mcconnell get in the middle, risk another vote that the president decides to throw away. This is up to nancy pelosi, chuck schumer, and President Trump. Once they have a deal, youll see enough republicans in the senate onboard to get that done. But i think were looking at this to possibly last quite a while because the president and the democrats are far apart on the issue of the wall specifically. Not necessarily Border Security, but the wall, because of all the politics thats wrapped up in that. Of course. So catherine, a big part of that politics involved the House Freedom caucus, that relatively small group of conservative house members that were the ones who got in the middle of the deal to begin with. This is what mark meadows said after the plan from the democrats came out. He said Nancy Pelosis newest funding proposal doesnt represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise. A 1. 3 billion democratic wish list that includes zero money for a border barrier is a nonstarter. Notice he says barrier, not wall, and will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse. What is mark meadows attempting to accomplish . Is this really to make the process more complicated than it is. It seems that way. Look, there was a deal. The white house signaled that it was going to support that deal. It passed the senate by voice vote. Paul ryan, who is still in charge, i know that everybody wants to lay the blame at the feet of nancy pelosi, but paul ryan is still technically in charge, he refused to bring the bill to the floor for a house vote. And so look, i think its silly to wait for trump to give his endorsement to whatever the deal is, because he changes his mind all the time. I think what you need to see happen is you need to see basically the senate and the house work through a vetoproof majority on both sides, and we had it at one point in the senate, with nancy pelosi taking over in the house and the democrats taking over in the house, it seems possible they could corral the votes and sideline mark meadows and the rest of the Freedom Caucus because theyre no longer going to have power, but for some reason, everybody is waiting on trump to decide that hes going to give his finicky endorsement to whatever comes through. David, im interested in the optics of all this. Jessica dean made this point in her report about the way the president has chosen to go about this. Hes basically, he made a big deal about not going to maralago, which for him is a big deal, but he chose to stay behind closed doors the entire time he was in washington. Didnt make some kind of grand gesture of taking his motorcade down pennsylvania avenue and asking nancy pelosi where she was. What do you make of kind of the public posture the president has over the past two weeks, and was it a missed opportunity . Yeah, look, i think hes really been squandering the advantage he has with the president ial bully pulpit. Theres so much of a conventional communication strategy that actually would have helped him. Every time he angry fweets, which is basically all hes been doing for two weeks, hes speaking to a base that wants to see him fight. For all the voters in the middle, for all the soft republicans who dont appreciate his style of leadership, he could be speaking to him, and he needs them to win in 2020 and win on issues. He could speak to them to put pressure on democrats to come to the table more swiftly and deal in terms that are more advantageous to him. Instead, hes doing what hes always done, that he believes works, except we know from the 2018 elections, it doesnt work and it didnt work the same as it did innt in 2016. I dont think its going to create a scenario in which democrats feel pressure to come to the table more in his direction. Over time, that could change. As voters sort of internalize the fact that democrats now control the house, they might expect more compromising positions from them because its no longer republicans in control of all of government in washington. But for now, i think the president is missing a real opportunity here to at least try to reframe the issue and put more pressure on the democrats by continuing with the tweets and the tweets only. And particularly as we have seen this morning, the angry tweets. But you know, this is what he likes to do. So this is where i think well be for a while. Catherine, that point that david makes is an important one about how hes retreating to his base, but whats interesting is on this particular issue about Borde