Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Top U.S. Officials Tout Possible Deal With China Following Trade Talks; Trump Urges Ukraine To Accept Russia's Offer Of Direct Peace Talks; Trump Heads To Mideast This Week In First Major Trip Abroad; College Student Spent Years Using Prosthetic Legs He Helped Build Himself. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired May 11, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:33]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Happy Mothers' Day.

All right. We begin this hour with this breaking news.

Just moments ago, a second day of high-level trade talks between the U.S. and China wrapped up in Switzerland. The president's top trade negotiators emerged from the meeting in Geneva touting, quote, "substantial progress" and appearing to confirm that a deal between the two countries has been reached.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: I'm happy to report that we made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks.

First, I want to thank our Swiss hosts. The Swiss government has been very kind and providing us this wonderful venue. And I think that led to a great deal of productivity we've seen.

We will be giving details tomorrow. But I can tell you that the talks were productive. We had the vice premier, two vice ministers who were integrally involved, Ambassador Jamison and myself.

And I spoke to President Trump, as did Ambassador Jamison last night. And he is fully informed of what is going on. So there will be a complete briefing tomorrow morning. I will turn it over to the ambassador.

AMBASSADOR JAMISON GREER, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: Thank you, Secretary. I want to echo the secretary's remarks with respect to the Swiss government. They've been so welcoming and they've hosted this, and everything has gone off flawlessly. And we appreciate that.

And again, to the Chinese negotiators, Vice Premier Liu He, Vice Minister Li Chenggong and Vice Minister Liao Min worked very diligently. And these are very tough negotiators. A couple of them I know from before and have had past interactions with them.

And this was, as the secretary pointed out, a very constructive two day. It's important to understand how quickly we were able to come to an agreement, which reflects that perhaps the differences were not so large as maybe thought.

That being said, there was a lot of groundwork that went into these two days. Just remember why we're here in the first place -- the United States has a massive $1.2 trillion trade deficit.

So the president declared a national emergency and imposed tariffs. And we're confident that the deal we struck with our Chinese partners will help us to resolve, work toward resolving that national emergency.

BESSENT: And I would just conclude with saying it was done in the spirit of cooperation, shared interests, mutual respect. And we look forward to sharing the details with you tomorrow morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. CNN's Betsy Klein is joining us now from the White House. A lot of optimism coming from those statements.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's exactly right, Fredricka. I mean, this has the potential to be a very significant development and one that could have massive implications for the global economy.

I just want to remind our viewers how we got here. Just over a month ago, President Trump imposed those sweeping 145 percent tariffs on most Chinese goods. This really injected a significant amount of uncertainty into the global economy and U.S.-China trade relations have essentially been at a stalemate ever since.

Now moments ago, we heard from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the United States trade representative Jamison Greer, who emerged from those two-day talks with their Chinese counterparts in Switzerland, really touting significant progress that has been made. Greer, characterizing it as a deal.

The White House also in an email saying that this is a deal should be considered a trade deal. The president yesterday had said after this first round of talks that there was a total reset with China, and it is very clear that progress has been made.

But I want to underscore a couple of points that Greer made in that video you just showed. He said it is important to understand the differences were not so large as maybe thought. He also said there was a significant amount of groundwork that went into these talks.

And he said the we are confident the deal we struck with our Chinese partners will help resolve the national emergency that President Trump declared in April. [14:04:46]

KLEIN: Now Greer, even after these Trump administration officials spent the week really downplaying expectations ahead of these talks, they had characterized them as a positive first step, but said they really did not expect a final deal to be announced this weekend.

And Bessent, for his part, had suggested that this was really aimed at de-escalating those tensions with China.

What we still don't know, Fredricka, is what both sides were able to agree to agree to as far as a tariff rate. Of course, we saw President Trump floating that 80 percent tariff rate. And he told our colleague Kristen Holmes on Friday in the Oval Office that he was open to another number that he had told Bessent to negotiate with. He declined to share that number.

Now, Bessent says more details will be shared on Monday morning. Of course, markets, consumers, investors and businesses will be watching that quite closely.

Of course, the president is set moments -- hours from now to depart on the first major foreign trip of his second term to the Middle East, clearly excited to head there with a win under his belt, potentially, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. We're looking forward to more details. Perhaps as early as tomorrow or as late as tomorrow. It depends on how you look at it.

All right. Betsy Klein, thank you so much.

All right. We've got a lot of breaking news today, this time also out of Ukraine. President Trump just a short time ago urging Ukraine's President Zelenskyy to accept Russia's invitation for direct talks later on in the week, saying in a social media post -- this from Trump -- "Ukraine should agree to this immediately, even if Russia hasn't agreed to a ceasefire first".

So far, the offer for direct talks is being rejected by Ukraine and its allies. They want Russia to accept a U.S. ceasefire proposal before any negotiations can begin.

Putin's overture comes just a day after European leaders went to Kyiv to demand Russia observe a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Kyiv. Nick, do you expect Trump's comments to, in any way, have an impact, change minds there among European allies? And of course, Ukraine's Zelenskyy to accept an offer by Putin for direct talks?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, let's just remember exactly how we got to here. This offer from Putin isn't coming out of nowhere. It is the result of a demand from European allies, four of the biggest militaries in Europe, alongside Ukraine yesterday in Kyiv, for an unconditional ceasefire to begin at midnight. That's the U.S.-Ukrainian proposal that's now nearly two months old.

Putin responded to that by not even in a very late night, early this morning statement in the Kremlin really referencing that ceasefire, but instead saying he didn't really trust Ukraine in previous ceasefires and instead offered that Russian and Ukrainian officials would meet directly in Istanbul on Thursday.

That then led the president of the United States to deliver this statement, in which he said, President Putin of Russia doesn't want to have a ceasefire, but rather wants to meet on Thursday in Turkey to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath.

Paraphrasing here, but he's very much giving the Russian narrative here. "Ukraine should agree to this immediately. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible. And if not, European leaders and the U.S. will know where everything stands."

Now, the European leaders who stood here in Kyiv were very assured they had U.S. backing for the idea that if Russia didn't go along with their ceasefire demands, there would be, quote, in the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, "massive sanctions" against Russia.

What we're seeing here from the president of the United States is less emphasis on that kind of consequence for Russia, for ignoring that ceasefire demand, which the European leaders in Ukraine made, saying they had the backing of President Donald Trump. And more emphasis upon Ukraine to go to this meeting in Istanbul that President Putin has indeed called himself.

Now, I should point out too, that President Trump goes on to sort of slalom through history and geopolitics, to say that he's starting to doubt whether or not there's a deal possible between Ukraine and Russia and that Putin's too busy celebrating World War II, which couldn't have been won without the United States.

Since then, we've heard from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has said that he still quote, "expects" a ceasefire at midnight. And we've heard from the European leaders who also demanded it throughout the day, that they also expect a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations, that instead Zelenskyy is willing to go to Ukraine -- sorry to Turkey and wait for Vladimir Putin personally in Istanbul.

Now, that is a marked departure from the Kremlin statement, who simply referred to Russian-Ukrainian talks. It's potentially a reference towards the phrases that we've heard from President Trump himself of talks at the very highest level directly between Russia and Ukraine.

[14:09:45]

WALSH: And so now we have this extraordinary moment where it is unclear if the White House indeed still demands there to be a ceasefire at midnight tonight. Like its key, major European allies have said that Russia -- the United States definitely wants. That's in doubt.

It's certainly clear that President Trump is now beginning his social media posts praising the Russian narrative about what is potentially ahead, and indeed saying that Putin doesn't want a ceasefire, but not in that same statement. Echoing the demands for consequences for that refusal of a ceasefire that his European allies have indeed demanded.

But we now know there is a deep focus on this potential Thursday meeting in Istanbul. There have been calls to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the possibilities around that by European leaders, et cetera.

We know Zelenskyy will go, he says to Istanbul to wait for Putin. We don't know if Putin will go himself personally. But what seems to have happened in just the last hours is we've shifted from a focus on a midnight ceasefire and that be the be-all-and-end-all, frankly, of diplomacy and whether Russia wants peace to now the United States focusing its attentions on this meeting in Istanbul, suggested by the Kremlin itself and a silencing, it seems, in public, at least, of U.S. demands for consequences for Russia for rejecting that ceasefire.

So forgive me if you've not followed all of this jumble, but essentially we're looking now, it seems, from U.S. public statements that we're listening more now to the narrative of the Kremlin for the future days than we are from the European leaders who were here and just 24 hours ago demanding a ceasefire at midnight tonight.

They in Ukraine still expect a ceasefire. They want one, but they're not hearing from the White House in their recent statements, the idea of consequences for Russia if they don't adhere to that ceasefire.

Instead, the focus now seems to be on a meeting in Istanbul. And Zelenskyy said I'll be there in person waiting for Putin.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's so much. But it's also still difficult to determine whether this is indeed a step toward progress or if this is another potential delay, roadblock, speed bump or all of the above.

Nick Paton Walsh in Kyiv. Thank you so much for that.

All right. This morning, Pope Leo XIV settled into his new role and set the tone for his papacy to a jubilant crowd. The new pontiff was greeted on the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica to the thunderous applause of more than 150,000 there.

CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb is there for his first Sunday mass.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there was a celebratory atmosphere in Saint Peter's Square for Pope Leo XIV's first Sunday prayer and address. There was a cacophony of noise as the bands from different parts of the world processed into the square and a sea of color, adding to the sense of joy for this occasion.

Around 150,000 people in the square to hear from Pope Leo. They heard him sing the Regina Coeli Sunday prayer. That was a surprise. No one was expecting that. And it brought another sense of connection with the pope, because people were able to join in with the singing.

Now, Pope Leo gave a strong appeal for peace in the Middle East, in Ukraine. Also praising the truce between India and Pakistan, saying he hopes that holds.

Also encouraging young people to consider a vocation to the priesthood and religious life, saying do not be afraid. Of course, this Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, when the Catholic Church tries to pray and encourage vocations.

Pope Leo, really connecting with the crowd, singing, as I said, but also calling out pilgrims from different parts of the world, including those from Dallas, Texas as a special moment given it came from the first American pope.

So Pope Leo really leading a prayer that was full of celebration and joy here in Saint Peter's.

Christopher Lamb, CNN -- Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Christopher.

All right. Coming up. We'll have more on our breaking news of a potential trade agreement between the U.S. and China.

And later, meet the college grad who builds his own prosthetic legs, enabling him to walk and bring a remarkable story of athletic and academic triumph.

[14:14:05]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're going to return to our breaking news this hour.

Just moments ago, a second day of high-level trade talks between the U.S. and China wrapped up in Switzerland.

Joining me right now to talk more about these developments is Kenneth Rogoff. He's a professor of economics and the chair of International Economics at Harvard University. He's also a former director of the International Monetary Fund and the author of the new book, "Our Dollar, Your Problem".

Professor, great to see you.

KENNETH ROGOFF, CHAIRMAN, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. So we don't know the details on this possible trade deal with China, but set the stage for what's at stake for the U.S. economy with these trade talks ongoing with China. We did at least hear some optimism coming from our top U.S. representatives in Geneva. ROGOFF: Well, I think, as you say, we just don't know the details. Is

this a reset? Is it a partial ceasefire?

Normally, these kind of talks -- so many issues take months or years. So we'll see what comes out of it. But a tremendous amount is at stake for the U.S. and the global economy.

[14:19:51]

ROGOFF: First of all, our relationship with China is just incredibly important across so many dimensions. But also, there's so much uncertainty. We had 145 percent tariffs, maybe they're 80 percent tariffs. Our sort of trade with China has been halted.

So if there was a deal and we actually believe both sides would keep to it, I think it would also set the stage for making other deals and sort of ending this huge uncertainty we've had.

But I wouldn't, you know, go dancing about it just yet. Let's see what happens.

WHITFIELD: If there were a deal or something particularly promising, do you feel like that announcement would be made today ahead of the Asian markets opening? And perhaps it would start to at least make an impact there?

Or does it tell you something that details will be revealed instead as promised tomorrow?

ROGOFF: I think moving by tomorrow is already really fast. I mean, there are so many things to discuss. I don't know what comes in it. For example, respect for our intellectual property rights, their cyber spying on us all the time.

And frankly, you know, closing up the trade deficit, which the president portrays as a national emergency, is going to also mean a lot less lending into the United States, which is going to put upward pressure on our interest rates, which are already high.

WHITFIELD: President Trump has suggested he may lower the tariff rates for China down to 80 percent from 145. I mean, you mentioned that, but earlier today, the president's Commerce Secretary said the administration plans to keep a baseline tariff for the rest of the countries the U.S. trades with.

Take a listen to what was said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD LUTNICK, U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: So we do expect a 10 percent baseline tariff to be in place for the foreseeable future. But don't buy the silly arguments that the U.S. consumer pays. Businesses, their job is to try to sell to the American consumer and domestically- produced products are not going to have that tariff. So the foreigners --

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: So who's going to eat the tariffs?

LUTNICK: -- are going to finally have to compete. They're going to have to compete. What happens is the businesses and the countries primarily eat the tariff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Should we buy that?

ROGOFF: No. I mean, that's just nonsense. The consumers are mainly going to pay the tariff. There are certain high-end goods with big markups where the businesses may take some of it. But the evidence is all that the American consumer is going to pay a lot. It's going to put upward pressure on inflation.

But if they reach some certainty, that's going to be a big improvement. I'm skeptical that we're going to get there, you know, any time before the end of the summer. And I'm not sure we're going to get there then.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Ok. Professor Ken Rogoff, great to see you. Thank you so much for your expertise.

ROGOFF: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

All right. Coming up, the fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan is holding, but underlying issues are still causing friction. We've got fresh reports from our teams in both countries.

[14:22:54]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. New today, as fighting between India and Pakistan has largely stopped, India is raising new questions about the role the U.S. played in reaching a ceasefire.

CNN's Matthew Chance has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, after nearly four days of fighting the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between India and Pakistan does appear to be holding.

There were reports of violations by both sides in the hours just after it came into force. But Indian officials say the situation in the disputed region of Kashmir is now quiet, although troops remain vigilant.

This, amid a reluctance on the Indian side to acknowledge the significant U.S. role in the negotiations. India insisting that they did a deal directly with Pakistan. One reason may be national pride. Indian officials unwilling to admit

a truce in this brief but bruising conflict was imposed on them by the United States.

India also has a long-standing policy of refusing to allow foreign mediation when it comes to the status of Muslim majority Kashmir, which it regards as an internal matter.

Nevertheless, President Trump, congratulating the leaders of India and Pakistan on stepping back from the conflict, has now offered to help the two countries find a solution to the Kashmir issue, something that's been welcomed in Pakistan but is falling on deaf ears, to say the least, here in India.

Matthew Chance, CNN -- New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Ok. And then while the ceasefire between these two nuclear rivals is holding for the most part, some of the key underlying issues are still creating friction.

CNN's Nic Robertson is joining us now from Islamabad. Nic, what is the latest from there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. I think it feels very much like the same as Matthew is describing in India at the moment. It does feel as if the ceasefire is holding. It took a little while to bed in.

I think interestingly this evening, and it gives you a sense of how the army really feels they've wrapped up things here at the moment with the army, the air force and the navy gave -- literally are right now giving a joint briefing.

It's the end of the day here. But this was such a big deal in Pakistan that the army requested that this be put on -- played out live on big screens and big shopping malls in different venues all across the country.

ROBERTSON: That just doesn't normally happen. The army doesn't get to do that. And it was somewhat of a sort of a propaganda exercise, you know, talking about a proportionate response, talking about praising all the airmen and the sailors and the and the soldiers who who'd been in the fight.

[14:30:06]

I think one of the interesting lines that came out to me, and this speaks to what we've heard, Pakistani officials claim before, is that they were able to perpetrate some pretty serious and significant cyber hacks on the India's capability to fight and navigate its drones, for example, this is what Pakistan claims. They don't know what India has to say about that.

So there was a big shout out from the military here for these young. He described them as cyber warriors, if you will, in a way. The other detail that came out here, Pakistan saying that it had hit 26 Indian air bases that had limited India's ability to fly sorties and attack Pakistan. And one other detail we really hadn't heard before, and that was he -- he admitted that one Pakistani air force jet had been hit, he said, minor damage that would be repaired. One thing we didn't get here, we didn't get casualty figures from the Pakistani military.

WHITFIELD: Mm-hmm.

All right. Nic Robertson, let us know if you do learn more on that from Islamabad. Thanks so much.

All right. Coming up, President Trump is making his first big international trip of his second term to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations before visiting America's traditional allies. What is the message that he's sending?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:35:56]

WHITFIELD: All right. Tomorrow, President Trump returns to the global stage. The president is making his first big international trip of his second term heading to the Middle East. Trump is going to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

I'm joined now by Kevin Frey. He is a Washington correspondent for Spectrum News New York 1.

Also with me is Shelby Talcott, a White House correspondent for "Semafor".

Great to see you both.

So, Kevin, let me begin with you and the presidents, you know, choice on his first big global trip. And we saw this during his first presidency, where one of his big first trips was to Saudi Arabia. This is similar.

Often U.S. presidents will go to European or NATO allies as the first big trip. So what's the message that this president is sending by this journey?

KEVIN FREY, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, SPECTRUM NEWS NY1: Well, we've already seen how the president has really shocked a lot of our allies over the last couple of months as he's rolled out these various tariffs. So already he is not necessarily shied away from bucking those norms on the international stage. But some of this, as you mentioned, one is kind of a repeat of -- of eight years ago when he went to Saudi Arabia, famously touched the big, glowing orb the first go around.

But some of it also has to do with kind of this. There will be a show when he arrives, and he can also announce various trade and economic deals that he thinks is going to be something he can bring home. Now, whether or not those deals come to fruition is another matter

altogether. They didn't necessarily during the first term, but this also comes as this region is home to a lot of the things that the president, seemingly on the international stage, would like to get done, be it ending the war in Gaza, being trying to create some, sort of, deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, some of the things that he kind of started during the first term as part of his Abraham Accords.

WHITFIELD: And, Shelby, what how do you see this his mission to be and might that be upstaged by the fact that the president is expected to also accept a luxury plane from the, you know, Qatar royal family during this trip, which will be retrofitted and possibly used as Air Force One during this second term, which also raised a whole bunch of other questions, you know, about leverage in accepting a gift of that magnitude.

SHELBY TALCOTT, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, SEMAFOR: Right, there's certainly a lot of questions about this new plane announcement that's expected next week. And one of the things that's notable about the plane is it is expected to be donated to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office, which means that he'll be able to use it personally after he leaves the Oval Office for the last time in four years.

And he's talked a long time, for a long time, about wanting an updated Air Force One plane. But it is certainly notable that it is being received as a as a foreign gift by the U.S. government.

Now, for this trip -- you know, I think its a sign of where the presidents priorities lie. This is, you know, as you said, notably not a trip to a traditional U.S. ally. It's expected to focus mostly on business, on trade and investments. And that's really a sign of what the presidents focus has been over this last month.

WHITFIELD: And then, Shelby, in addition to, I guess, potential, you know, business deals you know, there in the region, while in the region, is it conceivable that he might have conversations about, you know, the ongoing conflict in Gaza? Qatar played a very pivotal role as a mediator in a lot of the hostage negotiation deals. Will that be a conversation that could come up with this president, Shelby, while he's there?

TALCOTT: You know, security issues aren't going to be the main focus, but certainly Gaza is likely to come up. I've talked to White House officials who say, of course, that its going to be up for discussion. You know, obviously, he's not visiting Israel, which is also something that is kind of eyebrow raising and people have taken notice of.

One argument I've heard from officials that he's not visiting Israel is because he's had face to face meetings already between those two world leaders.

[14:40:01]

And so they feel like there's sort of no need to, to focus on that. But it is, you know, something to keep an eye on, regardless. WHITFIELD: Kevin, is that, you know, a prickly matter that he wouldn't

be visiting Israel while in the region?

FREY: I mean, it is kind of, I think to Shelby's point, it is eyebrow- raising just because we know that the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu was so fraught toward the end, in part because of Biden's frustration about how the war in Gaza was playing out. And it was basically seen by Netanyahu, announced the world basically, that Trump is Israel's greatest ally, the greatest president on Israel's behalf.

And so for him to not show face there perhaps speaks to other concerns about where things are going in Israel and in terms of how they are navigating the future of Gaza right now, especially as you see some of these other allies in the countries that Trump will be visiting, we should say in the region, having some trepidation about some of what Israel is planning to do in Gaza.

WHITFIELD: Okay. Also, Kevin, you know, while the president is overseas, Republicans back home will be scrambling to try to come up with this big, beautiful budget bill for the president. Does it appear GOP lawmakers are close to any kind of agreement? I mean, how engaged involved is the president on this? Or is he like, okay, you know, Republicans on the Hill.

Here's the assignment. Work it out. Doesn't matter where these whether he's, you know, in country or not.

FREY: Well, the assignment has been given on several occasions on various different topics. Basically saying I will you figure out the logistics, the details, and then come back to me with the deal. This is the week we are supposed to start maybe getting some language. We might start actually having at least some hearings or scheduled to talk about this legislation.

So, this is kind of where the rubber hits the road. Medicaid and the state and local tax deduction are two real issues to really keep an eye on. Any issue where there is just a few votes, a few Republicans that joined together and coalesced against part of this larger deal, and the whole thing can blow up because of the tight margins in the House.

And so, for example, on SALT, which is really important in some of these moderate swing districts across the country, they are balking at some of the proposals being offered by top Republicans, and that could derail this bill.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there for now. Thanks to both of you, Kevin Frey, Shelby Talcott, appreciate it. And happy Mother's Day to you and all the great moms in your life.

TALCOTT: Thanks. You, too.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, the remarkable story of a college grad and double amputee who helped build prosthetic legs for himself. And now, he's getting ready to walk to graduation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:47:01]

WHITFIELD: All right. May is the month of commencements, and we want to celebrate and congratulate the class of 2025.

Next weekend at graduation ceremonies at the University of Virginia, among the shining stars, Brian Douglas. He graduates with a degree in kinesiology and continues with a remarkable journey. For years as a student, he wore prosthetic legs that he helped build himself.

Douglas has been a double leg amputee since he was 11 months old. Well, that never slowed him down. In fact, quite the opposite. He is an all-American tennis player and a national swimming champion, among other athletic achievements.

What does he not do?

He's with us right now. Brian Douglas is joining us.

Congratulations to you on your earning of your undergrad degree. But you're not finished. How are you feeling?

BRIAN DOUGLAS, STUDENT HELPED BUILD HIS OWN PROSTHETICS LEGS: I feel great. Yeah. It feels amazing to be done with undergrad, but it feels even better to be starting a new degree next year.

WHITFIELD: Oh, incredible. So as a kinesiology student at the UVA, you were challenged with a lot of things, but particularly during a summer internship. Tell us all about it. And you know how it motivated you to do even more?

DOUGLAS: Yeah. For sure. So during my second-year summer, for the second half of the summer, I was at Prosthetics Orthotics Associates in Orlando and my project for the summer was at the end, I was going to build my prosthetic legs.

At first it kind of hit me. I was a little confused. I hadn't built a prosthetic yet for anyone, but a -- far less for myself. So, I -- it was challenging, but I had amazing people around me at POA, and I was able to put together my prosthetics, and I was able to walk on them at the end of the summer, and I walked on them for two years. It was an amazing time.

WHITFIELD: So, as you helped design this, I mean, what were you most mindful of that and what were you able to bring to this process that really gave you an advantage? I mean, this is a very difficult, you know, challenge. But for you, you were also thinking about the best usage for you. So, what were you most mindful of as you were trying to design or craft this?

DOUGLAS: For sure. I think I was -- I was definitely most mindful of how the prosthetics would fit me and how they would continue to fit me as I would change as I went off to school. With prosthetics, you -- you want the fit to be exact, but you also want to allow some room for room for growth or change as you're starting to walk on prosthetics. I was able to bring a perspective of patient to the prosthetic making

process. I was able to directly communicate with the people who were helping me and who were around me. And, you know, I knew myself really well. So I was able to put my thoughts right into the prosthetic to adjust it or change it to what I needed it to be.

WHITFIELD: And then I understand you have been so inspiring to so many other amputees who have had a variation of experiences to why and how they became an amputee.

[14:50:10]

And there was something about your positive demeanor and really your lifelong journey that was so transferable. Tell me a little bit more about that experience and how, you know, you either overcame a lot of what you've seen in other patients or how you inspired them to be adaptive, just as yourself.

DOUGLAS: For sure. I can't say that there's a specific way or method or process that I use to help people overcome things. I think just by just leading by example and showing people that things are possible, no matter what the situation are to situation is, is a great way to motivate, is a great way to connect as well to, you know, let people know that there are shared challenges and things are hard. No matter if you have legs or not, is a really great way to -- to inspire, just to keep, keep pushing no matter what it is and to show everyone around you that anything is possible. Anything they put their mind to is achievable, and you just got to do it.

WHITFIELD: And here's an example. We saw a lot of pictures of you wearing this T-shirt. I mean, which really projects a lot. No feet, no excuses.

So how does that seem to. And there you are with another young man who you really inspired, who was very down. And then he saw your demeanor and was like, oh, my gosh, wait a minute. You know, the sky's the limit, just like in you.

So how does that kind of, you know, that phrase kind of embody your outlook on life?

DOUGLAS: Yeah, I mean, it's -- it's no excuses. It's pretty plain and simple. You know, I get up and do what I have to do no matter what the situation is. My prosthetics or my situation are not going to hinder, hinder my progress. I have things that I have to get done just like everybody else, and I can't sit around and saying because I say it because I have no -- no legs or because of a disability, that I cant do something. It has to get done and its going to get done no matter what, no matter what the case is. No excuses.

WHITFIELD: You are a doer all the way, and I know you are still going to carry on with your academics in your pursuit of a masters degree. Congratulations on that and all the best.

And then while we have, you may -- yes, all about graduations, but of course it too is, you know, the month of moms. It's mom's day today. And I'm wondering, you know, if you have a special, special message for your mom because I know your parents have been a great inspiration for you all, all throughout your journey.

DOUGLAS: For sure. My mom was my very first inspiration. I looked to her and I saw strength throughout all the adversity she had to face in her life, taking care of me and my sister and coming from the small island that we did. So big shout out to her and all the other moms that have positively affected my life. I love you all and would not be able to be here without you.

WHITFIELD: Oh, that's beautiful. Well, congratulations to you. Congratulations to mom and family. All the best to you, on to bigger and better and even brighter things. You're amazing.

Brian Douglas, thank you so much.

DOUGLAS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:57:27]

WHITFIELD: All right. The CNN original series "MY HAPPY PLACE" takes viewers on a captivating and exciting journey across the globe as six celebrity hosts travel to the places that have become their personal sanctuaries.

CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, spent over a decade of his life studying to become a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It's widely considered to be one of the best college towns in the country, and it just so happens to also be his happy place.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the last practice before the big spring game here in Ann Arbor. So, what you're seeing here is my Wolverines before they get after it this season.

(voice-over): The Michigan Wolverines, the winningest football program in history. Befittingly, they play in the largest sports stadium in the country.

The big house. I'm so excited. Very few people get this view.

Just imagine all these seats filled, more than 100,000 people all cheering for the same thing.

I love it. And that was my life. Every Saturday.

One of my favorite times I was here was to deliver the commencement address. Thank you. Simply being here is incredibly personal for me. You see, not only was the foundation for most of my life conceived in this town, I myself was likely conceived in this town.

We are in Ann Arbor because this is my happy place. I spent 13 years of my life here studying to become a neurosurgeon. Yes, that's me with the mullet. I mean, give me a break. It was the 1980s.

They bring the patient in heads here. And I think I've probably spent years of my life standing right here.

Ann Arbor, Michigan is widely considered to be one of the best college towns in the country. And I would have to agree. But what makes a great college town? The academics, the students, the sports teams, the food, the culture, the nightlife. If you ask me, Ann Arbor checks all the boxes.

It's packed full of incredible places, including the world famous Zingerman's Deli. I asked the owner, Ari, about what makes Ann Arbor such a happy place for me, for him and for so many others.

ARI WEINZWEIG, OWNER, ZINGERMAN'S DELICATESSEN: There's very good energy here. I meet a football coach, I meet a world class violinist, I meet a poet. That's in doing a book event, you know, and that's like one evening, you know, and I think there's a lot of that here.