making things happen. and book notes + that regularly feature fascinating authors of ononbooks on a variety of topics. download c-span or go to our website c-span.org/podcast. joina sense of what is the week ahead, spectrum news, he serves as the national political reporter. thanks for your time. what do you know as far as the agenda for this week. but what are they looking for this week. >> a slightly quieter week paid i'm hoping not to jinx it by saying that but the president is down in florida. he went to his mar-a-lago club last friday and is staying in florida at least through wednesday because the white house official confirmed to me tomorrow he is set to attend a

saudi back investor conference in miami before returning to the white house. we know yesterday the presidents' day holiday president trump into his golf club, today he doesn't have any public event scheduled the white house tells us he will sign some executive orders later this afternoon and then later on we expect him to speak at the conservative conference that have happened -- will happen here in washington. the white house looks pretty quiet. >> can you elaborate on the investor conference in the purpose of that? >> some limited details but this is a huge gathering of global financiers that is essentially hosted by prominent saudi arabia and investors and we know the president will speak there. he's expressed interest in having saudi arabia invest more into projects here in the u.s.. saudi arabia is a very wealthy country per they've a giant wealth fund the president has spoken directly about. what's interesting is on this very day some of trump's top

advisers are meeting in saudi arabia with their russian counterparts to talk about the russia ukraine war and saudi arabia serving as the host of that. it is interesting that both of those are happening one day after the other. >> host: for those meetings taking place we saw concerns from the ukrainian president about having a seat at the table so far as the discussions are concerned. what is the white house saying about those concerns on the part ukraine will play in this. >> we heard from the secretary of state shortly after these initial meetings wrapped in saudi arabia they were essentially going on overnight and he indicated this was kind of a first step after president trump and russian president blood boudin spoke last week. rubio has said ukraine will have a seat at the table as you alluded to ukrainian president zelenskyy is really frustrated that neither he nor any of his representatives were at this meeting in saudi arabia. this was just the u.s. and russian officials with saudi arabia and official serving as hosts. the trumpet administration insists they will have a voice and this is just the beginning

but rubio and national security advisor michael waltz said this was a very productive first meeting. >> later on we are expecting more nominations to be put through the senate. the commerce secretary and fbi director, the white house as far as their optimism concerning the fbi erectors part where are they as of today? -- fbi director's part. >> especially after they were able to get confirmed by this are public and led senate the ceiling with a slim majority. they're expecting cash patel to be able to sail through especially because those other nominees cleared that benchmark. people like howard let nick the incoming commerce secretary are checking to sail through as well but really the gop is staying that way united behind president trump and allowing his nominees to really get through without a lot of issue. host: elon musk consistently in the news over the last few weeks. what is the white house doing to at least give the message out when it comes to his ability to do his job.

not only the independence from the president but who he actually reports to being the president of the united states. caller: guest: there was -- guest: there was a court filing overnight where the trump administration set elon musk is essentially serving as a senior advisor to president trump and is technically on paper not even affiliated with the so-called department of government efficiency. but we know muska has kind of free access to the oval office. he's been one of the president's top advisers through the last couple of weeks. they're even appearing later tonight on a pre-tape on foxnews with sean hannity that was taped last week at the white house. he is playing a direct role, democrats are really voicing frustration over it. i asked the white house press secretary about the apparent conflict of interest with elon musk owning giant companies that have federal contracts with the government worth billions of dollars that he has not separated himself from while being a special government employee but the white house insists he is doing everything by the book and will essentially police himself and right now he

and the president have a great relationship. host: the back-and-forth over the last couple of days about the associated press particularly over their views on the gulf of america. >> this has been a bubbling issue that members of the press have been paying attention to for several days in a row, the associated press us had reporters and photographers barred from everything from oval office events to press conferences to even a seat reserved on air force one to go down to florida. we've seen the white house correspondents association that helps represent all of us expressed concern about this and call for the white house to reverse everything. the white house is arguing because the ap serves a global audience is not recognizing the america only guidance the gulf of mexico should now be called the gulf of america they feel they have the authority to bar the ap from various events. there's been a lot of members of the press over the last few weeks so they have also been saying there's a bunch of other media we can bring into fill their spot who will adhere by our guidelines.

press advocates argue this is concerning because of the other times administration changes wording on something and insist everybody follows along and a news outlet doesn't this could foreshadow big also be potentially banned. host: a quick bit about what you mentioned earlier, the president returning to cpac. tell us about the event and what to expect. guest: it is a years long conservative gathering and it's taken place in various places over the years but it is in maryland just across the river from d.c. paid in the many ways it's transformed to being a gathering of the trump maga movement. president trump has spoken there year after year and gets a hero's welcome. of all the prominent influencers, members of congress aligned with trump will all speak at this conference over the course of the latter part of the week. we expect to hear from the president weren't sure he will get along address talking about his compliments and his goals

for the months ahead. host: you can find him online. guest: spectrumnews.com. host: thank you for your time. thanks to those who view called and wait new york, or public in line first up go ahead. caller: i am very upset with the open borders. i served in denmark with special forces one time we were actually attacked by some muslims. they destabilize places and they don't integrate, there's been an awful lot of people killed in the united states by illegal aliens. illegal aliens are identified over 20 years with the future travel to destabilize countries. that was going on in europe right now. people plowing into crowds and everything else. i served with a sergeant in

special ops once and her favorite line never trust the cia. host: marilyn up next in ohio. thanks for calling go ahead. >> i was calling about gaza and other subjects as much as i can get in. usually when we talk about a two state, republicans of the first ones to call in and talk about the holy land and prophecy and how sinful it would be. yet they are going to let america own gaza? and he is going to use the tax dollars that have taken away from america to help build that country. so he can plan his hotels, casinos and golf courses. he is going to use that money for panama and all of the other countries he wants to take over for those cost money. another thing is the policy of the democrat republican party as

they get more to the rich and take those who have the least. there the first to call appear and defend the rich man. >> pat is in new york, independent line. >> can you hear me? >> yes you are on. >> we were looking at the last interview regarding gaza. we know the history and injustice and the power in this country which takes away the democracy that we supposedly have because we are controlled by the moneyed elite minority. the solution, from the northern border of gaza, we should create that new state of palestine and it would help us politically it would help us internationally, we would get the agreement of a lot of nations that are against us. it would lower our security problems and by doing the right thing, showing the old american

belief in doing what's right. as compared to doing what's wrong. and it would also help perhaps even make jerusalem an international city. and protect it what is the new border of israel and the israeli people within it while protecting the palestinians paid it would be a show to the world but we are doing the right thing. it would alleviate a great deal of animosity against this country and help us in so many ways. that's the solution. we should talk about solutions and we should be real about it. >> the new york times reporting russia released another american held on drug charges monday. the kremlin acknowledging goodwill gesture and those talks between senior russian officials in saudi arabia. the american kayla buyers was arrested on charges of carrying a small amount of mar >> we'll leave this here with a quick reminder you can watch in its entirety if you go to our