dennis rodman. cnn's brian todd is digging into all this for us. brian, tell us more about spavor, his connection to dennis rodman, and to kim jong-un. >> reporter: wolf, tonight, michael spavor's caught up in a web of intrigue and diplomatic retaliation. he's got a history with dennis rodman and kim jong-un going back at least five years. and tonight, we've looked into whether that connection played into spavor's detention by chinese officials. on his facebook page, michael spavor proudly displays pictures of him and kim jong-un in a friendly embrace. and chatting with kim over drinks on a boat. there's also a shot of him standing with the north korean dictator, along with the former nba star who spavor helped get into north korea. dennis rodman. tonight, michael spavor, a canadian businessman based in china, is believed to be languishing in a chinese jail after having disappeared this week. canadian officials tell cnn spavor was detained in china after being questioned at an airport there. the can

rodman. we tried to get him the peace prize with this very campaign. in 2017 the international campaign to abolish nuclear weapons won the nobel peace prize that belongs to one man only dennis rodman. he first showed international diplomacy in 1987 for the ground breaking film double-team and then married carmen electra who quickly divorced him and was devoted to bringing about world peace for comparison in 2007 nobel prize winner has zero career rebounds. when people wanted to wear brightly dyed hair and public he was there when "celebrity apprentice" needed a boost he was there at least he did not quit when the road needed to solve the problem of north korea rodman was there to save the planet from nuclear annihilation. a clear choice for the 2018 nobel peace prize. [applause] there is always next year. after trump met with the enemy he went to brussels to be with our allies and gave them tough love. remember this quick. >> many countries not playing with one - - pay what they should there

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader is possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirm something was wrong. but we are aware. of a canadian. who has gone in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. it has been one of the biggest events in financial history and it is set to come to an end the european central bank is expected to announce the end of its massive and controversial bond buying program loan known as quantitative easing the e.c.b. believes the eurozone economy no longer needs a central bank support to grow in total the e.c.b. has both governments and colbert bomb's worth two point six trillion euros since the program started in march twenty fifth back then the eurozone was grappling with a weak economy and deflation critics say the program

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader is possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirm something was wrong. but we are aware. of a canadian. who got in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. corporate news now and the iceland based low cost carrier wow air has announced a large scale restructuring program that includes minus of layoffs and the reduction of its fleet as part of a restructuring program local media say a total of three hundred fifty employees are to be laid off the airline is cutting its fleet from twenty to eleven aircraft and canceling new routes to los angeles and new delhi while executives say the company wants to return to its roots as a profitable ultra low cost. participants at the climate conference in poland currently underwa

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader is possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirm something was wrong. but we are aware. of a canadian. who has gone in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. corporate news now and the board of french carmaker renault says it is keeping karl's go on as c.e.o. after an internal review of his pay package conformed with french law dolan has been in detention in japan after his arrest last month on charges of financial misconduct and under reporting his pay as head of nissan japanese authorities say he underwood put his income by some forty four million dollars between twenty ten twenty fifty. and the european commission will not be allowed to raise nitrogen oxide limits for cars it had made a rule change to introd

caroline: dennis rodman, i have not heard his name for nearly a long time when it comes to china and u.s.. i'm watching china reporting its industrial production numbers tomorrow. joe: i will be watching u.s. retail sales out at 8:30 a.m. romaine: and i will be watching u.s. pmi. ♪ emily: i'm emily chang in san francisco and this is "bloomberg technology." next hour, apple doubles down in the lone star state. the company will invest $1 billion to build a new campus in austin as it adds more jobs across the united states. lots, a retail revival? the industry has been struggling, but the ceo of old navy says data connection best collection could be. the key to luring customerba

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader's possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating speight or kenner's foreign minister confirm something was wrong. but we are aware. of a canadian. who got in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. this week the world adaptive surfing championship is taking place in california the event gives surfers with physical challenges the chance to display their talents in a world class competition this is edition features visually impaired female surfers for the first time come in lopez is representing spain. carmen lopez can only imagine what the sea looks like. but that hasn't stopped the twenty one year old spaniard from riding this surf. christmas if. i can free entry locks i don't have any concerns and it's just me and the wayne fellow. coach lucas garcia guides car m

he's the fixer who helps dennis rodman on trips to north korea a live report from beijing >>> and it was a tough year for the ceo who bought movie pass. his stock award that was worth more than $7 million is now worth less than 50 bucks that's still more than my ge option it's thursday, december 13, 2018 "squawk box" begins now. ♪ >>> live from new york where business never sleeps, this is "squawk box. >>> good morning welcome to "squawk box" on cnbc. we're live from the nasdaq market site in times square. let's look at the u.s. equity futures. you saw a positive close for the markets yesterday. the dow finished up by 157 points, was as high as 548 points this morning futures indicated up by about 26 points, the nasdaq up by 23, and the s&p up by

if the choices are dennis rodman and roy moore, let's have mick mulvaney. this is the most important staff job in the entire world and you couldn't find anybody to want it. nimick mulvaney will do it for donald trump, but he ain't going to change nothing. >> if i were really going into the shazaam, i think i might want dennis rodman with me. that guy is all in and he will go for broke. that's what the president is going to need. there is no secret as to why guys didn't want this. you can get exposed and embarrassed in this job because we just saw with general john kelly. this man is going to say what he wants. he will tweet what he wants when he wants. not just because he is the president, because he's p petulent. that's a tough task. >> look, i think general kelly did a fantastic job. i do believe that he brought a sense of order in making the trains run on time, if you will. there is no doubt that president trump is a hand-on president. i agree with my colleague here that i'm debating, that he is a hand-on guy that is his own chief of staff. i think that

he organizes trips to north korea and helped basketball star dennis rodman visit there. the chinese government has confirmed he is being investigated for allegedly state security. he was detained on the same day as the international crisis group analyst michael kovrig, who is being investigated for the same beijing. but held in china's foreign ministry spokesman was not directly linking the fate of these men to the release of the daughter of huawei's founder, but he wasn't ruling it out either. nzhou's casegn wa is bad practice from canada and we demand her immediate release. the case of the two canadians is by china'tynational secu authorities in accordance with the law. reporter: huawei's chief financial officer ha obeen releasedn bail,ps wearing a tracker to avoid her flight from canada. g she is awaittradition proceedings to the united states, i where sheaccused of fraudulently covering up business deals with iran to avoid american -- jane: rgin galactic has successfully rocketed into space and back for the first time. the company's spachip reached a height of 82 kil

rodman's meetings with kim jong il earlier this week former canadian diplomat michael coverage was also detained during a visit to beijing. the french government has urged yellow vest protesters to refrain from demonstrations this weekend to allow police to concentrate resources on finding the attacker from tuesday's shooting at a christmas market in strassburg the demonstrations which began more than four weeks ago over a fuel tax hike quickly escalated into calls for mccord to resign. as more from paris. well the big question is will these yellow vest protests continue in the light of vents of the past week the strasbourg shooting police hunting for a government that's thrown up a whole raft of public safety and security concerns and we've heard from the government advising people not to take to the streets and then of course on monday eman omar called the french president making a very emotional appeal to people in a speech saying that he'd heard the protesters demands he could understand that they were struggling to make ends meet and therefore he offered a whole raft of financial c

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader is possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirms something was wrong. but we are aware . of a canadian. who got in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. the board of french carmaker renault says it is keeping karl's go in as c.e.o. after an internal review of his pay package conformed with french law go on has been in detention in japan after his arrest last month on charges of financial misconduct and under reporting his pain as head of nissan japanese authorities say he under-reported his income by some thirty four million dollars twenty ten and twenty fifty. the european commission will not be allowed to raise nitrogen oxide limits for carse it had made a rule change to introduce higher emissions limits or

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un space vers possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating spay for kenner's foreign minister confirms something was wrong. but we are aware. of a canadian. who got in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. space for also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. italy's prime minister says his epic antti has been working hard to reach a compromise in the dispute with brussels over his company's ballooning budget he's met with european commission president jiang clode young and what appears to be a step forward in i'm president of conflict between the e.u. and one of its member states. the tug of war between italy and the european commission has been going on two weeks. is now suggesting a budget of two point zero four percent of g.d.p. down from two point four percent just a bit higher than young what like right wil

rodman's meetings with kim jong un a former canadian diplomat michael couric was also detained on a visit to beijing on monday relations between the two nations have been strained since the arrest of huawei executive make one zero in canada twelve days ago. sri lanka's supreme court has ruled that the president's order to dissolve parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional and a judgment marks the first time the judiciary has ruled against an executive president in sri lanka the country descended into a political crisis when mr parlor series cena sacked his prime minister run electorate which are a singer who in another blow to the president won a confidence vote on wednesday but now fernandez explains from colombo. allowed to wind up outside the court as news of the judgement broke the seven judge supreme court bench had to decide whether sri lanka's president might upon a seriously enter had the authority to sack the entire parliament earlier last month on thursday and said he didn't know their decision was in response to a series of petitions that said the constitutio

rodman's meetings with kim jong un former canadian diplomat michael couric was also detained on a visit to beijing on monday relations between the nations have been strained since the arrest of our executive main one show in canada twelve days ago sri lanka's supreme court has ruled that the president's order to dissolve parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional the judgment was the first time the judiciary has ruled against an executive president in sri lanka the country descend into a political crisis when serious cena sacked his prime minister run away from a singer who in another blow to the president won a confidence vote on wednesday enough and his reports from colombia. allowed to wind up outside the court as news of the judgement broke the seven judge supreme court bench had to decide with the longest present my view upon a seriously in or had the authority to sack the entire parliament early last month on thursday it said he didn't know their decision was in response to a series of petitions that said the constitution does not allow the president to dissolve parlia

he is best friends with dennis rodman, this bizarrero thing. and we know north korea is very hung up on being seen as respected, respect is a big word. so basically donald trump, president trump was dissing him and his country. so it was a very scary tweet for me. >> you know, it makes you wonder sometimes. i had known trump three decades or more, mostly in an adversarial position. it makes you wonder, does he really get that he's president? has he really grown in terms of developing the kind of intelligent depth that you need to understand your head of state and you have to operate differently than a real estate guy? >> what does growth mean to us in our careers? to me it has meant surrounding myself with better people that are smarter than i am to keep me out of trouble >> thank you. >> during the course of trump donald trump's presidency, that hasn't gone in that direction. the people who were adults in the room are mostly gone and he is surrounding himself with s k sycophants. >> what causes people not to be able to bring people in the room

he was famous for traveling with dennis rodman in 2013. he was charged with activities that endanger the national security of china. the same language when china detained michael spavor. you have these two canadians known in china who were taken into custody a week after the arrest of the darling of the chinese government. the daughter of the founder of huawei. a pillar of the chinese economy. china warning canada there will be more consequences. i can tell you, american tech firms operating there must also take a close look at the movements of their own personnel because although canadians are targeted now, if this is retaliation and we don't know, this could be coincidence. certainly a lot of nervous executives in china right now. >> suspicious. will ripley live in hong kong. thank you. >>> optimism range in the trade saga. the enthusiasm cooled toward the end of the trading day. dow ended up 157 points led by gains with companies with exposure to china. apple, boeing, caterpillar. the dow was up 358 points earlier in the day. another bi

he facilitated visit by dennis rodman into north korea. reports he is detained in a northeastern province in china and being questioned, compulsory questioning. again this is near the border of north korea where he is being held. this is at detention of a diplomat, michael kovrik. the question, does canada know their whereabouts? michael kovrik was supposed to go to seoul. he never arrived. shared his itinerary on facebook. they're nailing down his whereabouts. this comes of at extradition of that huawei finance executive out of canada into the united states. stuart: the question is, are these two canadian nationals are they hostages, hostages to the trade talks? liz: we can't affirm that yet. stuart: obviously not. that is the way one might look at this, hostages. we'll let them free if you con side on this, america. liz: they're being detained about question about threatening national security in china. stuart: there is a lot of american ceo's who will not go to china because they're afraid. liz: that's correct. stuart: thank you, liz. l

he helped introduce kim jong un and dennis rodman. we are taking a look at these two canadians being detained in china after the cfo of huawei was detained in canada. apple with a new place to call home. the technology giant is expanding of. investing $1 billion in a new campus. we'll tell you where. fox news polls are out this morning, we're taking a look at americans and what think about president trump's re-election chances, who the democratic candidates might be as well. those stories coming up this morning. joining me to break it down, dagen mcdowell, brian benburg and james freeman. great show so far. >> good to be here. maria: goods to see you. >> we're wondering which way china goes here. they're talking about not favoring domestic companies, they're talking about respecting inintellectual property in the. maria: they talked about those things before. just saying. >> it seems like acknowledging problems is the first step. they're further along that step. >> they've never gotten past the first. maria: peter navarro said that ac

>> i think dennis rodman was the real winner. >> most divided issue still immigration. say my grant caravan portrayed as an invasion. >> people are talking about this caravan like it's a scene out of mad max fury road. >> that threw gasoline on an already combustible debate. >> i don't think any american citizen is saying open the borders to everybody, no process, no paperwork, i don't think anyone is saying that. >> worse fashion faux pas, first lady wearing the jablgt that says i really don't care. it's never just a jacket. are you kidding. it is never just a jacket. >> still it went well with what many considered her worse interview. >> i could say i'm the most bullied person in the world. >> you think you're the most bullied person in the world. >> one of them. >> punching bag to the xi light of the fans. trump pummeled the media insisting he's constantly the victim of -- >> -- fake, fake news. >> he doesn't mean the news is fake it means he doesn't like what the news is saying. >> people believe what they want to believe and if they don't want to believe it they ju

he brought dennis rodman in to meet kim jong-un. these two canadians are locked up and facing unknown amount of incarceration in china after china warned canada if they don't release the major name in the tech industry, things like this could potentially happen. a heavy price to pay. is it retaliation? we don't know. timing is suspicious here. when china is angry, they target companies from that country. now you have american tech firms like apple and qualcomm looking at employee movements in the country. china is outraged saying the cfo is being used as a political pawn. president trump is not making it better when he said he might intervene. that is why you have the strong wording. dave. >> 6:40 there in hong kong. will, thank you. >>> mixed stocks and theresa may surviving the no confidence vote. look at european markets. turning lower in early trading. wall street, futures are up. on wednesday, the dow closed up 157 points. that's a decent performance. that is wilting from the 458 point rally in the day. s&p closed .60% higher.

>> i think dennis rodman was the real winner. >> most divisive issue, still immigration. the white house separated undocumented parents from their children, portrayed a migrant caravan as an invasion. >> people are talking about this caravan like it's a scene out of mad max fury road. >> and those moves just through gasoline on an already combustible debate. >> i don't think any american citizen is saying, yeah, just open our borders to any and everybody, no process, no paperwork. i don't think anyone is saying that. >> worst fashion faux pas, first lady melania trump's trip to the border wearing a jacket that said "i really don't care do you?" her staff said it was just a jacket? >> just a jacket? it's never just a jacket, are you kidding? >> still, it went well with what many considered her worst interview. >> i could say i'm the most bullied person on the world. >> you think you're the most bullied person in the world? >> one of them. >> best presidential punching back. >> terrible year. >> trump pummeled the media, insisting his constantly the victim of -- >> fake, fa

he helped organize that visit of dennis rodman to north korea in 2014. he's appeared on chinese tv, certainly he's lived in china without incident for years. then we have michael colvrg, a former diplomat. while he doesn't have diplomatic immunity, he's still on the books for the canadian global affairs here. also significant, a person who had appeared on chinese tv. what is significant here, jim, and i know you know this from your experience in china, is they're now being investigated for harming chinese national interests. that means that due process will be difficult and they could be detained indefinitely. what's even more extraordinary here, though, jim, is the president, president trump's intervention in this, saying in a reuters interview two days ago, look, yeah, perhaps i'll intervene in the cfo extradition. she's being held and now on bail in vancouver. that just opened this way open for the chinese to say, yes, this is politically motivated. a strong message to allies. if you get caught in the cross fire, you need to take cover because you wil

rodman. the rest taking place just days after he threatened severe consequences if canada did not release the cfo. they were released on bail this week now awaiting trial for extradition to the u.s. she is accused of fraud to invade iran sanctions. the arrest of huawei executive had global investors concerned that the event would strain trade talks, but instead we see positive development according to "wall street journal." china is considering allowing more access for foreign firms and plans to alter a contentious high tech bush called made in china 2025. a key demand from the white house. president trump today is taking credit for the stands. >> i will tell you this, china and the economy come if it is in trouble, it is in trouble because of me. no one ever went to china and said, you are stealing our intellectual property. you are doing all sorts of things that are wrong. >> china's also following through on a promise to buy more u.s. goods with over half a billion dollars worth in soybean

>> i think dennis rodman was the real winner. >> most divisive issue? still immigration. the white house separated undocumented parents from their children, portrayed a migrant caravan as an invasion. >> people are talking about this caravan like it's this theme out of mad max fury road. >> those moves threw gasoline on an already combustible debate. >> i don't think any american citizen is saying, oh, yeah, just open our borders to any and everybody. no process, no paperwork. i don't think anyone is saying that. >> worst fashion faux pas, first lady melania trump's trip to the border wearing a jacket that said "i really don't care, do you?" her staff said it was just a jacket. >> just a jacket? t' never just a jacket. are you kidding? it is never just a jacket. >> still, it went well with what many consider her worst interview. >> i could say i'm the most bullied person on the world. >> you think you're the most bullied person in the world? >> one of them. >> best presidential punching bag to the delight of his fans. >> i think it was a terrible year for journalists. >>

basketball star dennis rodman and north korean leader kim jong un spader is possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirms something was wrong. we are aware. of a canadian. gone in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. spader also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. back to europe now where the european commission will not be allowed to raise nitrogen oxide limits for cars new court ruled against the commission on thursday and in the effort to further limit emissions france belgium and spain were among those countries against the planned amendment it would have doubled emissions limits to one hundred sixty eight milligrams per kilometer decision could however throw off some consumers and carbon factures may have been planning on higher missions limits and it raises the likelihood that more european cities will erect their own ci

rodman and north korean leader kim jong un space as possibly one of the best connected westerners in secretive north korea and now nobody knows exactly where he is before beijing confirmed it was investigating space for kenner's foreign minister confirm something was wrong. but we are aware. of eight canadian. who got in touch with us. because he was being asked questions by chinese authorities. space for also uses his base in china to promote investment in north korea but china says he is now a security risk. that's all for business i'm going to hand you back to return now for the latest on very terrible incident tricky that's right thank you very much javier. at least nine people have been killed and many more injured in a high speed train crash in turkey the train collided with a look at motive on the same track shortly after it left the central station in the capital ankara shaken to live a man stumble from the mine gold wreckage of the six thirty train from i'm corrupt to qana and the dark valley morning rescue team search for survivors buried beneath a mountain of metal and con

and helped facilitate a visit by swipe former nba star dennis rodman to north korea in 2013. the other is the former—diplomat michael kovrig who was arrested three days ago. he works for an international think tank. now there's a lot of speculation that these arrests are connected to the arrest of huawei executive, meng wa nzhou, in canada last week. here's cindy yu from the spectator magazine. a cynic would say this is definitely retaliation and it definitely looks like that. china does not often retain foreign nationals it does that for its own nationals for security reasons, but this is quite extraordinary. cindy yu's not the only one who thinks so. tweet @joannachiu the deputy bureau chief of the toronto star quotes a canadian mp saying it looks like retaliation. tweet @annafifield and anna fifield from the washington post has tweeted a video of a chinese journalist warning that china's revenge against canada "will be far worse than detaining a canadian". earlier i spoke with jow—yin fung in washington dc. so china has not me any ties that the detentions, however many

rodman that man is a businessman. when asked if their situation is related to the detention of huawei's cfo in vancouver, the minister said china is reacting according to the law china is trying to keep the trade talks with the united states on track. the commerce ministry says beijing welcomes u.s. trade representatives to visit, and there's been talk that china is considering an alternative to the made in china 2025 program sources here have been telling me that some of the authorities here have recognized that the policy has become too controversial, and it is attracting too much criticism from overseas. now there's a push to come up with some sort of replacement, possibly as early as january so the new revised plan would de-emphasize china's goal to dominate manufacturing, drop hard targets for market share for chinese companies, and include greater market access for foreign firms. it's unclear if china would drop some mor controversial aspects in terms of what china does in trade practices, including subsidizing

rodman, so he seems a very well—connected person in a country thatis well—connected person in a country that is not very well connected, but of course it is an ally of china, north korea, so the threats to national security could be disputed, but as you mention, having that connection to that secretive country, they do make the compelling case tojustify his country, they do make the compelling case to justify his detention. dave, what is your understanding of how the chinese are handling the huawei case in relation to trade negotiations. i have been hearing that china have so far compartmentalised this, they are dealing with the talks and the 90 day live it on those separately with how they are dealing with this judicial issue. yes, i think that is the feeling, but i think there may bea the feeling, but i think there may be a time limit on that. right now, those two things are being seen as separate issues, because i think it is mutually beneficial for both countries to separate the trade war with this criminal investigation. but i don't think that mood will la st but i don't think that

rodman's meetings with kim jong un former canadian diplomat michael couric was also detained on a visit to beijing on monday relations between the nations have been strained since the arrest of huawei executive one zero in canada twelve days ago. the u.k. parliament will hold a vote on to reason may's breaks it deal as soon as possible in january according to the prime minister's office it comes as may is meeting e.u. leaders in brussels for two days of talks after surviving a confidence vote from within her ruling conservative party it was triggered by m.p.'s who were unhappy with her withdrawal agreement that the e.u. has already cautioned the deal cannot be renegotiated only clarified i'm going to be addressing the european council later and i will be showing the legal and political assurances that i believe we need to displace the concerns that members of parliament have on this issue and i know the e.u. twenty seven would also be discussing the deal planning to deeds the government of the u.k. is discussing no deal planning but i think it's i've always said that the best arrangemen

>> i heard that even dennis rodman turned trump down for the job. and also apparently mick mulvaney teaches at arthur murray studios on the weekend. he will be unavailable saturday and sunday. >> tiffany cross suggested kanye west. >> that would be like having newt. which almost happened, too. you know, i think we look for comic relief because there's so much tragedy and sadness in this administration. whether it's the decision about the aca, whether it's the ongoing refusal to come to term with the russian scandal, trump's detrail betrayal of ame. we say, y inde shgs yshg, yes, mounting a reality show. saying everybody wants this. it's nutty. at this point it doesn't matter who the chief of staff is. it really doesn't matter. trump will do whatever the heck he wants. ivanka and jared will do what they want. it will be this terrible infighting and craziness. he cannot be tamed because he doesn't want to be tamed. >> the guy who has taken the job is not exactly somebody who in the past has been a fan of donald trump. here he is talking about donald t

rodman to enter north korea. this is a response to what is going on with huawei and it comes at a time in which trade talks are ongoing. mnuchin got a big win that was underrated was when the chinese government forecasted they agree with mr. mnuchin in the sense they will be able to separate what has been going on with huawei from the u.s.-china trade talks. that is a big deal. tom: i agree with that. it will be interesting to see if that can occur. kevin cirilli, thank you. we are going to drive forward this conversation at 12:00 noon, what a good time with the president's focus on general motors, to speak with the former governor of the state of ohio. i believe last night, the president said he runs ohio. i think mr. kasich will disagree. stay with us. this is "bloomberg." ♪ anna: welcome back. i am a anna edwards in westminster with tom keene in brussels. tracking politics, getting headlines coming through. the spokeswoman for the prime minister speaking, saying that the brussels talks are the start of a pro

rodman. meanwhile, this follows the disappearance of a former canadian diplomat, so this is raising a lot of questions, these two meetings wrapped up in this issue. the president said publicly earlier this week that he would intervene if he thought it would be in the best interests of the u.s. pertaining to u.s.-china trade policies. he said he would intervene on that front. , we justn cirilli heard from fox that mr. trump will cancel the press christmas party. , well laid out in the east room and all that, but there is a real significance inside the beltway. cancel the deal to party. this is not the white house correspondents dinner. it is the christmas party in the white house. kevin cirilli look, -- i am: look, i will say disappointed. there was always a treat to take my mom and show her the white house. ♪ francine: this is "bloomberg surveillance." from brussels and westminster today. we have full team coverage trying to figure out what brexit means and whether it can get passed through