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Christians Hold Christmas Celebrations; Russian State Media: Paul Whelan Looks Back on His Russian Imprisonment; Protesters Block US Embassy in Panama

Aired December 24, 2024 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:26]

JIM SCIUTTO CNN HOST: Good evening. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

It is, of course, Christmas Eve in much of the world and Christmas morning already in Australia and parts of Asia. Millions of Christians are celebrating the Holy Day, including in war-torn Gaza City.

Here you see Pope Francis making a video call there with worshipers. We will have more on Christmas celebrations later.

Let's, though, begin with the day's news.

First, a prison sentence for a US citizen found guilty of espionage in Russia after a secret trial in Moscow. A court today ordered Gene Spector to be held behind bars for 15 years, this according to Russian state media.

Spector was born in Russia, but later moved to the US where he received citizenship.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is in Washington with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A Russian court in Moscow sentenced US citizen, Gene Spector to 15 years in prison on espionage charges. This, after Spector had already been sentenced in connection with bribery charges some years ago, according to Russian state media.

This latest news comes from an independent Russian outlet that was inside the Moscow courtroom on Tuesday morning, as Spector was sentenced. His sentence, in addition on the espionage charges, means he will spend a total of 15 years in a Russian prison, in a maximum security prison, it should be noted.

Now, this follows a series of cases we have seen where a Russian court will charge and sentence US citizens to a lengthy prison sentence. In exchange, Russia has in the past effectively gained leverage in negotiations with the US when it comes to a prisoner swap, and we've seen this in multiple instances.

The case of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was traded for Viktor Bout, an arms dealer, some time ago, as well as Evan Gershkovich, "The Wall Street Journal" reporter, and Paul Whelan, the Marine who spent more than five-and-a-half years in a Russian prison. Their release was secured by the United States in exchange for not only Russian prisoners held in the US but also in a number of other western countries such as Norway, Slovenia and others.

Russia has in the past imprisoned US citizens and detained them and charged them, very often, sentencing them to lengthy prison sentences to gain leverage in negotiations. That's why the US State Department has a warning for US citizens not to travel to Russia to avoid wrongful detention.

Now, it is worth noting, in the case of Gene Spector, the US has not determined, and the State Department has not determined that he is wrongfully detained, so that remains an open question here, whether and how much effort the US would put into negotiations to try to secure his release, but this is certainly a space to watch as the number of US citizens detained in Russia grows.

And we have seen other cases in recent months as well, where Russian courts have sentenced US citizens to lengthy, multiyear prison sentences.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: It is a truly disturbing pattern there. Gene Spector has become the latest in a string of American citizens who have been sentenced to prison in Russia.

My next guest is speaking about his own ordeal during the five and a half years he spent in custody there.

US Marine veteran, Paul Whelan was arrested by Russian authorities six years ago this week, actually. Imprisoned later on charges of espionage, which he has always vehemently denied. The US State Department designated him wrongfully detained in May of 2020. And earlier this year, he was released in one of the largest prisoner exchanges between the US and Russia since the Cold War.

He joins me now from Manchester, Michigan.

Paul, good to have you on today. Thanks so much for joining.

PAUL WHELAN, US MARINE VETERAN: Thank you. It is nice to be here.

SCIUTTO: I want to ask you how it feels to be free for your first Christmas in, well, more than half a decade, especially given this was the week that you were sentenced to that long term in a Russian prison all of those years ago.

WHELAN: Right. The anniversary is on the 28th. I am just doing normal things during this holiday season.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Normal, I imagine, can feel like a luxury for you. We recently this week with my colleague, Jennifer Hansler, who I know that you were in touch with from prison while you were held in Russia, released a series of letters in which you described your experience there, and just reading from them, it gave such a visceral experience of what it was like and how tough it was.

I am going to read from one of them here.

[16:05:10]

"There were old broken Cabinets next to our beds for personal effects. There are no chairs anywhere here at all. An old train car without wheels doubles as a library. A horse springs our meals on a cart from the kitchen to each building. Cats hang about as they get our fish from dinner. They don't like the milk. We get weekly."

I wonder as you were describing that, and I think for folks at home, it is useful. That was deliberate, was it not, by Russia, those conditions were deliberate to demean prisoners like yourself.

WHELAN: Right outside of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia is a third world country, so the conditions (AUDIO GAP).

The Russian system of correction and rehabilitation is to make the labor camps that we are in extremely poor, extremely, well, just rotten. I mean, everything there is rotten. And they say that the bad conditions are part of the punishment.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I wonder what your thoughts are of Gene Spector now as he becomes the latest in, as we said, a series of Americans who were held in Russia, the vast majority of the time, really on vastly trumped up charges.

What are your thoughts for Gene Spector and his family now?

WHELAN: I am familiar to a certain extent. I know that the same team of FSB that handled my espionage case with the same judges. It is the same, you know, cabal of people that are putting these together. There is actually a special unit of the FSB that grabs foreigners for the purposes of trading, and I think this gentleman is just the next in line.

SCIUTTO: One of the toughest moments for you, I imagine, a series of moments there was when you saw other Americans released, and not because you weren't happy to see them released, but that inevitably, and I am sure I would feel the same way, you wondered why you weren't in that group as well, one of the earlier groups.

I am going to read what you said at the time when Trevor Reed was released. You said: "While I am pleased Trevor is home with his family, I have been held on a fictitious charge of espionage for 40 months. The world knows this charge was fabricated. Why hasn't more been done to secure my release?"

Of course. The US government came around and managed your release earlier this year by releasing a number of Russians held here. Do you believe the US is on top of how to handle this, right? Because this has become a strategy for Russia, and let's be frank, other countries, China, Iran as well, to hold people to, in effect, give their governments capital that they could use to, well, pressure the US government.

WHELAN: Yes. You know, you're hitting the nail right on the head. And I thank (AUDIO GAP) Secretary and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, they did a lot to get me home, as well as Evan and Brittney. They have a monumental task. And, you know, their legacy will be one of rescuing American citizens from these countries like China and Russia, Syria and Iran, Venezuela engaged in hostage policy. They do this as a business.

The next administration will have their hands full trying to get American citizens back, but it is a business for these countries and it is unfortunate, you know, that they do their diplomacy this way.

SCIUTTO: It is, and sadly, we may see more.

Well, Paul, I must say I am happy to see you there with stockings over the fireplace behind your head as opposed to the backdrop we sadly became used to during your time in captivity.

We wish you and we wish your family the very best for these holidays.

WHELAN: Merry Christmas to you and yours.

SCIUTTO: Our thanks to Paul Whelan.

Now to what one Ukrainian official calls "a vile, cynical act of terror on Christmas Eve."

Authorities say a Russian missile struck an apartment building in the hometown of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They say at least one person in Kryvyi Rih was killed, 11 others injured. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue there.

Zelenskyy delivered his Annual Christmas Message today, saying Ukrainians are fighting for the holiday's main symbols hope and the triumph of life. He said Russia's war has failed to destroy what matters most, the Ukrainian people's humanity.

[16:10:08]

Powerful words on this Christmas holiday.

Still ahead, the president of Panama is now pushing back against Donald Trump. What he is saying about the US president-elect's to retake the Panama Canal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back.

Anger in Panama after Donald Trump's threat to retake the Panama Canal. A group of protesters blocked the US Embassy in Panama for several hours, many holding banners denouncing the US president-elect. The leader of Panama fiercely denounced Trump's words. He and three former Panamanian presidents have now signed a joint declaration asserting sovereignty over the canal.

Joining us now with more is CNN's Gustavo Valdes.

I wonder, Gustavo, how seriously do Panamanian officials take this threat? I mean, this is the result of a treaty, of course, the treaty is ratified, must be ratified by the US Congress and this one was. Do they believe Trump might attempt to act on this?

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think the answer is no. President Mulino has been rather dismissive in his comments of what Donald Trump suggests that he might do to take over -- suggesting that the United States should take over the Panama Canal, but the reality is that, like you said, there is a treaty in place.

Panama is going to celebrate at the end of the month, 25 years of controlling this Canal which connects the two oceans. It is part of their -- it is a major part of their economy and he is actually suggesting in an interview with CNN en Espanol contributor, Andres Oppenheimer that perhaps, Donald Trump doesn't know much about history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE RAUL MULINO, PRESIDENT OF PANAMA (through translator): That is a manifestation of gross ignorance of history. So all those speculations and all of that range of eventualities that are not going to happen, well, I leave them there as totally irrelevant issues and quite bordering on historical incoherence with what the Panama Canal has been, is and will be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALDES: That full interview runs Sunday on CNN en Espanol. Now, there have been a few protests.

Today, a few people went in front of the US Embassy in Panama. They did not like Donald Trump's words. They think it is an insult. Many of these people who went to the embassy are union workers, the people that help the vessels cross from one ocean to the other.

So the people in Panama is angry, but the government seems dismissive and quite frankly, short of another invasion. It is not clear what Donald Trump can do, being that maybe Panama has the upper hand. If Donald Trump tries to impose some kind of sanction, Panama can just stop the flow of American flagged vessels.

[16:15:11]

Now, the other part to the equation is that Panama is a key country in the immigration issue that is one of the main issues for Donald Trump. So perhaps Donald Trump doesn't want to anger the Panamanian government.

SCIUTTO: Well, it is a good point to show the limits of the power, right? Because it is not limitless when Trump says things like this.

Gustavo Valdes, thanks so much for joining.

Well, former US President Bill Clinton is now out of the hospital after he was admitted, treated for a severe case of the flu. The 78- year-old was admitted on Monday after he developed a fever.

Since leaving the White House nearly 25 years ago, the former president has endured several health scares. He has had multiple operations, including bypass surgery on his heart.

Joining us now is CNN's Julia Benbrook. And Julia, I wonder if the feeling in Clinton's camp is that the threat has now passed?

I mean, he has been released from the hospital. I imagine the worst is over.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they put out a statement, and in it, they shared that the 78 -year-old former president, on this Christmas Eve is wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.

They went into a bit more detail, but not a lot here. They said: "President Clinton was discharged earlier today after being treated for the flu. He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, and are touched by the kind messages and well wishes he received."

Now, since leaving the White House, he has had several health scares, including quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004 and a hospitalization in 2021 after an infection spread into his bloodstream.

He has had a busy schedule these last few months. He has been on the campaign trail for President Joe Biden and then, of course, Vice President Kamala Harris, and kept up a robust travel schedule after that, promoting his recent book that details life after the presidency -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Julia Benbrook, certainly a relief to see him out and healthy. Thanks so much.

Coming up next on CNN NEWSROOM, Donald Trump's pick to run the FCC is making it clear he will follow his boss, who has a long history of undermining the mainstream media. What he had to say about ABC News when we come back.

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SCIUTTO: For years now in office and on the campaign trail, Donald Trump has complained about what he has called fake news, even when the news is well supported by the facts and he has threatened the press and has continued to.

Now Trump's pick to head the Federal Communications Commission is signaling that he plans to channel the president-elect's attacks. CNN has obtained a letter written by Brendan Carr to the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger. Disney owns ABC News, which recently settled with Trump in a defamation suit against the network.

In the letter, Carr says Americans no longer trust the media to, "report fully, accurately and fairly." Carr goes on to point out a number of ways the FCC holds power over ABC and its local affiliates.

CNN's chief media analyst Brian Stelter joins me now.

And Brian, this is fascinating, right? Because were getting a taste here of how the Trump administration intends to use its power to back up what it has done for more than a decade, right, question news that he doesn't like.

So tell us specifically first, and I want to ask you a bigger picture question about these powers that Carr was referencing and what that signals.

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BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Right, because historically those powers are pretty limited. The FCC is a kind of sleepy agency that oversees wireless broadband deployment and things like that.

Historically, it has not been engaged in the kind of politics that Carr is signaling he wants to engage in. This is really happening on two levels.

First, there is the policy level. Carr is expressing concern about Disney's negotiations with local stations that are affiliated with ABC. Now, that's an interesting discussion to have. There is a balance of power between national network and local stations.

Carr is worried the balance is off. He is worried that Disney is trying to take all the money from local stations and put it into the global streaming service called Disney+. He is worried that local is being underfunded.

And on that topic, there could be a lot of agreement about the importance of local media, local TV, local news. So he says he is monitoring that issue. It is an interesting policy issue. But "and" there is the politics layer of this, and that is undeniable.

You know, Carr is picking Disney as his first, I want to say target, but the subject of his first letter to any of these media companies. At the same time, Trump, the guy who appointed Carr, views ABC as an enemy. People might remember that Trump didn't like how the ABC debate went in September. He didn't like that he was factchecked during that debate, and he said ABC ought to lose its license.

Now, national networks are not licensed in the US, only local stations are. But Disney has lots of local stations. So you've got Trump's appointee deciding to go after Disney as one of his opening salvos, and it sends a message about how this government is going to work more broadly -- Jim.

SCIUTTO: Let me ask you a big picture question, because as you know, there is a great deal of discussion and concern about how Trump might weaponize agencies right up to the FBI, right? I mean, his pick to lead the FBI has spoken quite publicly, Kash Patel about targeting journalists with both civil and criminal suits.

And you and I, if you're like me, you hear some -- I don't know if disagreement is the right word, but different level of concern where some will say it is just bluster or mostly bluster, and others are genuinely concerned about how we come after organizations and individuals.

Where do you stand and where do you see the biggest risks?

STELTER: I think right now is the moment to talk through all the possibilities and view it as a wide spectrum, because we don't know what is about to happen.

I kind of view it as, it is December in the Northern Hemisphere. There is a chill in the air. It might just snow a little bit, or it might be a walloping blizzard. And we just don't know what some of these agencies and some of these appointees are going to do.

In the case of the FCC, you know, Carr is basically saying, hey, I've got this regulatory power. Historically, it has been limited, but I am going to test it to its limits, you know.

And he knows, as other Trump appointees do, that Trump wants his government to be doing battle with media companies. So that is the backdrop for all of this. It is about the threats and the pressure.

At the same time, I think we need to recognize there are some Trump voters that really want to see this happen. They want to see media held accountable in their view. They want to see more trust in the media.

So there is that dynamic, but I think, you know, to answer your question, Jim, I think it is important to think through all of the possibilities right now and that is what media lawyers are doing. That's what media owners are doing.

You know, right now, preparing for what could be, you know, kind of a worst case scenario when it comes to leaks and subpoenas and those threats. In a few weeks, maybe we will start to find out what will happen.

SCIUTTO: No question.

Well, Brian Stelter, we know you'll be on top of it. Thanks so much for joining.

STELTER: Thanks.

SCIUTTO: All right, watching football on Christmas Day is, of course, a tradition in the US. This year, however, there is a twist. You can only see the Steelers-Chiefs and the Ravens-Texas games on Netflix and the streaming service has got some big names to attract Christmas viewers.

One worry, though, is will Netflix crash under the weight of expectations and viewership.

Elizabeth Wagmeister explains.

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: With star power so big on a holiday so beloved, Netflix's first foray into the NFL might just be called the second Super Bowl.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Anytime the game is on in our household, we are around the TV and I think a lot of people feel the same way, so it is a very interesting proposition that Netflix is bringing to the table.

MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: This Christmas, we all get our wish.

WAGMEISTER: Mariah Carey opens each of the two Netflix Christmas games, with a recorded version of her holiday mega-hit, "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

[16:25:03]

Then a touchdown for Netflix as Beyonce performs a live halftime show during the second game between the Texans and Ravens in her hometown of Houston.

MATT BELLONI, FOUNDING PARTNER, PUCK: Netflix did a really smart thing in getting arguably a bigger name than Kendrick Lamar, who is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show to headline the Netflix Christmas Day halftime show.

WAGMEISTER: And what about that other star in the stands with the Chiefs and Steelers kicking off the day? Taylor Swift may just be the gift that keeps on giving, possibly back to cheer on Travis Kelce, just as she did last Christmas.

Great for the NFL and Netflix, maybe not for the NBA, which traditionally owns the Christmas audience.

MANNO: The NFL is king, you know? And if they find a way to become easy to find on Christmas Day, you could not blame NBA executives for being a little bit concerned about what that might mean for the ratings of their holiday slate.

WAGMEISTER: But as Netflix continues its push into live programing, the streaming giant has something to prove. The "Love is Blind" reunion had major technical glitches, as did the recent Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight.

BELLONI: The NFL is not going to be as forgiving as Mike Tyson and Jake Paul if there are technical glitches.

WAGMEISTER: Netflix has one key advantage, it is global. Both Christmas games will be available worldwide streaming in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German, and the NFL has made clear it wants to expand overseas.

MANNO: More than 250 million subscribers globally, 80 of those in the United States and Canada. If this goes well for Netflix, I'd imagine that they would continue to be interested in upcoming live sports rights, and that will continue to shift how and where people watch.

WAGMEISTER: Now, Netflix appears to continue getting into the sports game, just over the last week, announcing that they have acquired the rights to the FIFA Women's World Cup for the year 2027 and 2031, which is a huge deal in the sporting world.

And it is really no surprise that Netflix wants to continue with live sporting events, because in this TikTok age where viewers are everywhere, sports remains one of the few things that families get together and it always delivers a good rating.

Back to you.

SCIUTTO: Thanks, Elizabeth.

In Peru, one police officer led an anti-drug raid dressed as a classic children's Christmas character.

The Grinch himself found a house in Lima where alleged drug dealers had their operation. That is, according to Peruvian National Police, who also say the officer used a sledgehammer to slam open the door, you saw there.

They say the Green Squad arrested three people, seized several types of drugs. Police Chief Carlos Lopez explains why the agent used this disguise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLOS LOPEZ, POLICE CHEF (through translator): This time, in light of the Christmas holidays. using the ingenuity and cunning of the Turner Group, we used the Grinch after a Christmas activity, the Grinch's presence went unnoticed.

He was the one who started the operation, breaking down the access door and under the guise of flagrante delicto, we managed to capture these three drug dealers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Quite a way to get some attention, too.

Thanks so much to all you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. We wish you the very best for the Christmas holidays.

I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington.

Up next, "Quest's World of Wonder."

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