Conservative political activists from across the United States. Team trump has a massive show of force. The white house counselor Kellyanne Conway predicting it will be called tpac by the end of tomorrow. Steve bannon and Reince Priebus will take the stage, sit together, answer questions there. Well bring that to you live as soon as it begins. Havent heard much from steve bannon since he became the chief strategist at the white house. Reince priebus, the white house chief of staff, will be appearing together with him. Well have live coverage of that. First, take a listen to some of the other speakers from earlier in the day. The victory is not on november 8th. That is an assignment for change and real reform. My plea to you here today is to not get caught up in washington. To not forget the voters. To not ignore the people who live in reality all across this country every single day. I wear this lapel pin. Its a pair of scissors cutting red tape. We need to cut red tape in america. Obamacare has become a cancer on our health care system. We dont need to replace a health care system. We need to remove the cancer. The Welfare Program the left has put in place since the Great Society of lbj have failed. From the left, their base, theres a technical term for their base. Moscow. I was going a different direction which was bat crap crazy. Our Congressional CorrespondentPhil Mattingly is at the cpac conference. Reports that steve bannon and Reince Priebus have been at odds on certain issues. Is there a joint appearance momentarily, is it a show of unity within the Trump White House . Yeah, no question about it. And talking to people here at cpac, they acknowledge thats the goal here to show a united front. Theres been no shortage of reports of aides coming out of the white house talking about disputes over hiring decisions, policy direction, even proximity to the president. And if you look at the context here, wolf, that in some sense makes seps. If you Reince Priebus, an establishment figure. Chairman of the Republican National committee. Steve bannon, the chief of breitbart news. More or less went after the establishment for years. Now theyre in the same kind of boat working tl ining together, side by side. As these stories of dissension or splits have come out, theyve tried to confront that. Never will that be more apparent than this appearance at cpac. What weve seen is the entire Trump Administration come out in full force and try and do something similar. Look back over the last couple of years. In 2015, donald trump came here talking about the potential hed run for president. He was mocked by conservatives who werent comfortable with him. K Kellyanne Conway saying cpac is turning into tpac. They want these activists not only to be on their side but to be deployed in full force, wolf. They recognize, they look across the country right now, see some of the backlash to some of their policy proposals that they need the help of individuals like this. The active grassroots conservative base. Thats why youre seeing them here today. Its a joint effort to activate the activists but also make sure they make clear, at least publicly, their administration is all on the same page. Its going to be interesting the format. Matt sclapp will be questioning Reince Priebus and steve bannon and going through a whole unch of issues. What are you hearing about what we might hear . Nothing is off the table. This is a friendly stage and territory for conservatives. Watch everybody thats come up, up to this point. The question and answer session with Kellyanne Conway. As you voted, anything steve bannon says is interesting. We just havent seen a lot from him. Where he fits in the white house. His role, his power. Well see that live and in living color. And thats going to be interesting for everybody who has been trying to read the tea leaves. Its going to be out in front. Its interesting to everybody. Not just reporters. Not just people watching from the outside but i spoke to republicans on capitol hill, some of whom were attacked by breitbart over the last couple of years. They themselves are not sure what the role of steve bannon is. How he interacts with Reince Priebus. This will be an illuminating conversation. Well, of course, have live coverage. Well be anxious to hear what steve bannon and Reince Priebus have to say. Stand by for that. Thanks very much, phil. I want to continue to watch live pictures also coming in from mexico city where the secretary of state Rex Tillerson has been meeting with mexican leaders. Hes meeting with luis videgaray, the foreign minister. Theyll be speaking and making statements in mexico city. I dont know if theyll be answering reporters questions but well have live coverage of that. Just moments ago, President Trump addressed the mexican visit by the secretary of state and the secretary of Homeland Security john kelly. He told Business Leaders that tillersons visit to mexico, and im quoting the president now, is going to be a tough trip. His words. A tough trip. Well, of course, have live coverage of that news conference. The statements that will be made by the secretary of state and the Mexican Foreign minister. Thats expected very soon as well. As we await for all of these developments, especially the white house chief of staff Reince Priebus and the white house chief strategist steve bannon to address that cpac conference, a huge conference under way here in washington, d. C. , i want to bring in our panel. Joining us, senior political reporter niamalika henderson. Susan page, for usa today, a. B. Stotard, columnist for real clear politics and our senior media correspondent, the host of reliable sources Brian Stelter and chief political analyst gloria borger. This will be the first oncamera Public Comments from steve bannon since the inauguration. I think its a pretty significant moment. It is. They have been going out of their way after initial reports that they werent getting along so well because after all they do come from two different political worlds. Reince priebus of the republican establishment and steve bannon of breitbart and the altright. Theyve gone out of their way to say theyre actually working hand in glove. And behind the scenes, people are saying, well, they are not so sure. Is bannon more aligned with jared kushner, the president s soninlaw, or more aligned with Reince Priebus . I think it is no coincidence that they are out there together at cpac. And i think one of the reasons is that bannon wants to introduce Reince Priebus as somebody who should have credibility with these people. And i think that hes giving him sort of the Good Housekeeping seal of approval by sitting there on stage with him. And trying to let the folks at cpac know that this administration is going to speak with one voice. And brian, Steve Bannons got a long history in the media before becoming this top strategist for the president in the white house. For our viewers in the United States and around the world, tell us a little bit about that background. He was in hollywood working on films and tv shows. Hed made documentaries, conservative oriented documentaries. He had a credit on seinfeld that made him a lot of money through that sitcom. But running breitbart, the far right website, a favorite of trump loyalists. He left that job, of course, to help run Trumps Campaign last summer. Now, of course, chief strategist in the white house. But as gloria was saying, this is someone who has avoided the spotlight who does not give interviews. While he may be a source for reporters behind the scenes, he doesnt speak on the record. And i bet some of our viewers have never heard his voice. It will make for an interesting moment to see him on stage with Reince Priebus. It certainly will. And well have live coverage of that. Nia, the president hosted a group of ceos over at the white house today. I want you to listen to what he said at one point that involves more than just talking business. Im delivering on everything that weve said. In fact, people are saying theyve never seen so much happen in 30 days of a presidency. With mexico, we have 70 billion in deficits, trade deficits. And its unsustainable. Well not let it happen. Cant let it happen. Well have a Good Relationship with mexico, i hope. And if we dont, we dont. You see whats happening at the border. For the first time were getting gang members out, drug lords out. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country. And at a rate that nobody has ever seen before. And they are the bad ones. And its a military operation. Actually, it was the best golfer of all the rich people, to be exact. And then that last comment, one of the guests there suggested reminded him he had a hole in one when they were playing golf. Lets talk a little bit about what the president had to say. He was being pretty direct, blunt in talking about the u. S. mexico relationship. It could be tough. It could be tough. It already has been tough. The meeting he was scheduled to have here with the president of mexico was canceled because of the rhetoric thats gone back and forth. President trump saying that mexico was going to pay for the wall and president pena nieto, who had had low ratings when he stood up to President Trump. His ratings are kind of creeping up. So i think President Trump is finding out that the president of mexico also has some cards to play, right . This isnt a zerosum game in terms of this relationship. Obviously, President Trump wants this wall. He wants some sort of cooperation from mexico. They have said no. Hes reviewing how much aid the u. S. Sends to mexico and whether thats part of the negotiation. So when tillerson goes and weve seen this with the secretary of state when he goes abroad, hes on a Cleanup Mission for this president. You imagine some of that will have to go on there. Some tough talk back and forth between these two leaders. Rex tillerson, the secretary of state, we heard from him during his confirmation hearings, susan, and got to know him a bit. Sentence since he was sworn in as secretary of state, he hasnt been all that visible on television. Now well hear what he has to say. Hell be speaking it with the Mexican Foreign minister. And one subject, one, a few words im anxious if they even raise the words, would be that border wall and who is going to pay for that wall. The border wall, who is going to pay for it. Both sides say the other side is going to pay for it if it gets built. The president s approach on immigration, on deportation. Some of that involves the approval and cooperation of mexico. For instance, the president wants to be able to deport people from Central America back to mexico, not back to their home countries. You cant do that unless mexico is really to go along with it. A lot of these home countries dont want to take them back. Mexico may not be willing to. Mexico says thatll take back the mexican cities, which they have no choice. But theyre saying they dont want to take back someone who came from south america or Central America, from other countries. Thats consistent with the obama administration. They had to be deported back to their home countries. The Trump Administration wants to change that. It does depend on the cooperation of some other foreign leaders, in this case, mexico. Interesting to see Rex Tillerson speak. We havent seen press briefings by the state Department Since he became secretary of state. We havent seen him able to fill the jobs beneath him at the state department. Lots of vacancies there that have been problematic for trying to institute the traditional role of the secretary of state has played. Its hard to be secretary of state if you dont have a deputy secretary of state or under secretaries of state or stuftant secretaries of state. All of whom have yet to be named and then they have to go through senate confirmation. Right. Look. So far its no secret that Rex Tillerson has been cut thoift usual role and influence of secretary of state. He was not on stage with benjamin netanyahu. He could do a one state, twostate solution. Big decisions are being made. An emergency meeting over the weekend in maralago to respond to a missile test with the north koreans. Rex tillersons counterpart was there for the weekend. The japanese secretary of state, if you will. Rex tillerson was nowhere to be found. Hes not in the photos. He doesnt have staff. Now hes being sent down to basically hear the Mexican Government say out loud what they said yesterday. This new policy is hostile. That theyve been vilified by this president. That they dont have to do this as a sovereign nation. Its going to be very interesting to see as susan says, how Rex Tillerson describes it because he does not have the influence that secretaries of state and the command usually have. And this is a very tense relationship. I dont think hes going to describe it as phenomenal which is the word sean spicer, the White House Press secretary, used yesterday. Phenomenal. The u. S. mexican relationship. I was surprises to hear that as well given some of the strains that have developed. The mexican president declining an invitation to come to washington. Everyone stand by. Were watching two big events. About to have live coverage from the cpac conference here in washington. Where President Trumps white house chief of staff Reince Priebus n his chief strategist steve bannon will be speaking, answering questions there. Well have live coverage of that. Havent heard much from steve bannon over these past few weeks. Also standing by to hear from the secretary of state Rex Tillerson and Mexican Foreign minister. Theyre about to speak. You see the lecterns there in mexico city. Theyre trying to smooth the u. S. mexican relationship, despite serious tensions over the president s proposed border wall and who is going to pay for it. Our special live coverage continues right after this. Ads. Today theres drugfree aleve direct therapy. A high intensity tens device that uses technology once only in doctors offices. For deep penetrating relief at the source. Aleve direct therapy. Welcome back. Standing by for two important events were watching here in washington. Live pictures on the left part of your screen from cpac where the white house chief of staff Reince Priebus and the white house chief strategist steve bannon will be speaking. Theyll be answering questions. The cpac chairman, the American Conservative Union chairman, matt schlapp, will be asking those questions. An important discussion that is about to begin. Well have live coverage of that. On the right part of your screen, you are seeing live pictures from mexico city. You see two lecterns there. The u. S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson and the Mexican Foreign minister, Louis Videgaray will be speaking. Making statements following their meetings there. They are both trying, we understand, to smooth tensions between the United States and mexico over President Trumps proposed border wall, his repeated assertions that the mexicans will pay for that wall. So theres a lot to discuss, a lot to access. I want to go back to our panel. And gloria borger, once again, and i want to underscore how significant it is that well be hearing from steve bannon. Hes caused a lot of controversy over these past few weeks because of his views. Theres been a lot written about him. On the cover of Time Magazine suggesting he may be the real power behind the president. How sensitive are white house officials to all those kinds of reports . Well, i think they are very sensitive to it and the person who might be the most sensitive to it is the president of the United States who likes people to know that he is the boss. However, there is no denying that steve bannon and jared kushner, the president s soninlaw, have become a real powerhouse within the administrati administration. And were talking about the secretary of state tillerson being in mexico. You know, i have spoken to people who believe that, in fact, Foreign Policy is being run out of the white house and not out of the state department as a. D. Was referring to earlier. And i think that creates quite a tension and quite a lot of difficulty for the secretary of state. And whether its about eu policy, whether its about israel or mexico