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Judge Temporarily Pauses International Student Ban At Harvard; Trump Touts Ending DEI Programs During West Point Speech; Police Investigating Vandalism At Three Austin Mosques; Russia And Ukraine Begin Prisoner Swap Of The War; Russia Launched Missile, Drone Strike After Major Prisoner Swap Ended. Sources: 100+ National Security Council Staffers Put on Leave; Minneapolis on the Eve of Five Years Since George Floyd's Murder; Trump: Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel to Enter a "Partnership"; Iconic Highway in Malibu Reopens After January L.A. Wildfires. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired May 24, 2025 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:01:47]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this holiday weekend. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And we begin this hour with President Trump speaking to military college graduates as he escalates his battle with Harvard, one of the nation's elite universities, and it's the nation's oldest university as well.

Today, the President delivered the commencement speech at West Point as he hailed the Army graduates as winners and the military as the most powerful in the world. His commencement speech coming just one day after a federal judge temporarily halted Trump's ban on international students at Harvard, which make up more than a quarter of the school's student body, roughly about 7,000 students.

In a blistering lawsuit, Harvard calling the Trump administration's move arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional. The ban on international students at Harvard is punishment for the university's refusal to bow to White House policy demands.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is joining us now from West Point. Kevin, walk us through all that the President had to say today.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, in some ways, this was kind of a typical commencement speech, the President offering his advice, telling the graduates to do what they love. In other ways, it was a more political speech. The President using lines that he usually uses at his rallies, talking about his election victory last year, the mandate he says he has to enact his agenda, going after the people he said investigated him unfairly while he was in office.

And it's always interesting to see how those lines land outside of a rally setting. He had a warm reception here, but certainly not the raucous crowd that you see at his political events. I think the real substance of the speech, though, was when the President talked about his efforts to remake the U.S. military, in one way to reinvest in it, talking about the trillion-dollar budget request that he's put through.

That's a historic figure. It's about a 13 percent increase from the current funding levels. He talked about reinventing the mission for the military, going after past presidents for executing what he said were wars of choice.

He said that he would not engage in nation building, that he would be more prudent in how he deployed the military abroad, and speaking at some length about trying to remove some diversity initiatives from the military. As you mentioned, he's tried to do this at higher education across the country. That's been tied up in the courts.

But because these military service academies are overseen by the Pentagon, he does have some more purview to remove what he called absurd ideological experiments from the curriculum and from the campus, including here at West Point.

Listen to more of what he said on that particular topic.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings. There will be no more critical race theory or transgender for everybody forced onto our brave men and women in uniform or on anybody else, for that matter, in this country.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

LIPTAK: Now, I was watching the faculty as the President was making those particular remarks, because this has been something of a controversy among that group. At least one faculty member has resigned from West Point in protest.

[13:05:05]

They didn't really belie any emotion in their faces, but that's not to say that this is all going over smoothly here at West Point and other service academies. But I think overall, the President's message to the thousand and two new second lieutenants in the U.S. Army was that he would have their back as they join what he called that long gray line, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kevin Liptak, thank you so much.

All right, joining me right now to talk more about these developments with Harvard is Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin. He is a member of the House Judiciary Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He's also a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Congressman, great to see you.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D), MARYLAND: Great to see you. Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. So Harvard has taken its battle to court. But isn't this also a fight the legislative branch should be having with the executive branch? What, if anything, will or can Congress do?

RASKIN: Well, certainly, I wish my Republican colleagues would stand up with us against this reign of lawlessness and terror against private institutions in America, like law schools and colleges and universities and law firms and so on.

Look, Trump is retaliating against Harvard for standing up against him the first time when essentially he threatened them with taking over their admissions policy, their faculty, hiring their curriculum. And then finally, the Harvard president just blew up and said, no way, we're not doing this. We're not going to let the federal government take us over.

So now they've escalated it to the point of trying to revoke all of the visas of 7,000 students who've come from abroad to study at Harvard. And of course, these are students who've enrolled for the year, and they're in programs, whether it's undergraduate or master's or PhD programs.

So it's enormously disruptive in their lives and threatening real harm to the institution. And so Harvard, to their credit, said, we're going back to court again to stop this. It's an unlawful reprisal. It's retaliatory discrimination against Harvard. And it's unconstitutional.

So I hope they keep fighting, because they've been a very important force in terms of showing colleges and universities that they can stand up to this governmental attempt to usurp the authority of colleges and universities. We have academic freedom in America under the First Amendment. And so this really can't stand.

WHITFIELD: And the White House also wanting to remove tax exempt status for Harvard also in retaliation. So, you know, if Harvard ultimately loses this battle involving this student and exchange visitor program certification and 7,000 international students can no longer attend the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, how will you calculate the near-term and long-term ramifications?

RASKIN: Well, it's profound in terms of damage to scientific progress, to academic inquiry, to academic freedom, and then ultimately to the tradition of universities and colleges being able to govern themselves. I don't think Harvard can lose this case.

It's so clear that Trump is motivated by animosity and hatred towards Harvard, which is strange because there are a lot of people in his family who went there, including Jared Kushner, who I think was admitted to after making a $500,000 gift. But in any event, there are people in his family who are graduates of Harvard, like he's a graduate of Penn.

There's something very whimsical and something very personally pointed about this attack on a private institution. And so if you can do it to Harvard, you can do it to any college or university. And look, what we learned from the law firms is the law firms who gave in are still struggling to keep up with Trump's demands.

I mean, he's viewing them as a private law firm workforce that's given him something like around $1 billion of free pro bono help. It's the law firms who've stood up to him who have been winning in court every time against his executive orders purporting to take over their operation.

And, you know, he had said that there were law firms whose lawyers wouldn't be allowed to go into federal buildings, including federal courthouses, because Trump didn't like one lawyer who had -- who used to work there. And, you know, so like that's the kind of petty, vindictive actions he's involved in right now.

And we've got to defend the rule of law because otherwise, we're really moving into a different kind of society. I mean, that's what authoritarianism is all about. The guy at the top gets to run everybody and everything.

[13:10:04]

WHITFIELD: And is that ultimately, in your view, the goal of the White House? I mean, or is there another, you know, mission here as to why this White House is targeting Harvard, other Ivy Leagues, and potentially other institutions across this country?

RASKIN: Well, you know, he went after what was reputed to be the most prestigious law firm in the country, Paul Weiss, in New York, and they caved in. And so he's going after Harvard to see if they'll cave in. And he believes if he can get these, you know, luminary institutions in their various social domains to capitulate and to appease him, then everybody else will fall in line.

So the ones who have hung tough are showing the way, like Wilmer Hale of the law firms, and Perkins Coie. And, you know, there's other law firms around the country who are saying, no way, you're not going to control us and tell us what to do.

And by standing up, Harvard is showing colleges and universities around the country that they really mean it when they talk about academic freedom. And they've emboldened and encouraged other institutions to do the same thing. But, you know, it's throughout society, they're doing the same thing to labor unions.

Trump signed an executive order purporting to strip more than 1 million federal workers of union protection and the right to engage in collective bargaining, even modified collective bargaining, not for wages, but just for some of the, you know, the terms of employment.

And those unions with the AFL-CIO and AFGE have gone to court and said, no way, we're not going to let the President of the United States destroy workers' organizing rights and take over our union. So it's happening across society.

You know, Trump seems primarily motivated in making as much money as possible, but he doesn't want anybody getting in his way, whether it's judges, and they've been attacking the judges and judicial independents, or law firms, or lawyers, or 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations.

They've -- in this most recent legislation, they're trying to power through Congress. They're trying to give themselves, try to give the President unilateral power to describe a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization as a terrorist-supporting organization, then to cut them off.

They could cut off the ACLU. They could pick any not-for-profit in America and, without any real due process, just decree them a terrorist-supporting organization.

WHITFIELD: So, and as it pertains to this international student ban, last hour I spoke to Indiana Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman, who said he doesn't have a problem with the way Harvard is being targeted or even other institutions in this manner.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

REP. MARLIN STUTZMAN (R), INDIANA: I wouldn't have a problem with the Trump administration saying, not just Harvard, but what about Columbia? What about other schools where we have seen this sort of behavior on campus? Again, we want to make sure that our students are going to school and are able to study and have an open dialogue that's respectful of one another, not where one group of people has to be afraid.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

WHITFIELD: So he was also saying, you know, in my conversation, he was talking about the protest on campus when he says, you know, behavior like that. And my follow-up to him was, OK, if there are a couple students who may have violated policy or even broken the law, perhaps they would be punished, but all of them? And he essentially said, yes, all of them. So where are you on this?

RASKIN: Yes, that's collective guilt and guilt by association, which is completely antithetical to our system of justice. In any event, we have 157 court rulings, preliminary injunctions, or temporary restraining orders, striking down this reign of lawlessness and authoritarian actions in executive orders and executive actions by Donald Trump.

And it's amazing to me that my Republican colleagues simply go along with every single one. I mean, there's nothing that Trump can do that they will object to. And for my colleague to posit that this is in defense of the students is absurd.

It shows that he hasn't read any of the reactions of the students at Harvard who are, you know, to put it mildly, freaking out about the fact that they may have to now cut their academic career short or find somewhere else to go to school or go back to another country.

You know, they're making America an, you know, an international pariah. We are going to be very isolated. I mean, up until Donald Trump, everybody around the world looked up to American higher education. It was people's dream to get to go to college or graduate school in America to learn here.

You know, we get billions of dollars a year from tuition from all over the world. And now suddenly, they're trying to make it impossible for kids to come here, or extremely difficult for them to stay here, all by turning them into political pawns.

[13:15:08]

So if you think you're doing this in defense of the students, you're completely out of touch with the student body of any of the schools that are affected here. And they clearly have a political agenda to try to subdue and control any institution which they think offers potential opposition to them or divergent thinking.

But this is what authoritarians do all over the world. You can look at Orban in Hungary, Putin in Russia. They go after the press. They go after the universities. They go after law firms. They go after civil society.

Anybody who conceivably could present any obstacle to their total domination of society. This is the absolute opposite of living in a liberal democracy.

WHITFIELD: We'll leave it there for now.

Congressman Jamie Raskin, thank you so much for being with us this holiday weekend.

RASKIN: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right, police in Austin, Texas, say an investigation is underway after three local mosques were vandalized. Security footage capturing the moment. A masked man spray-painted symbols outside there on the structure on one of the mosques. And this happened Thursday night. Now police there are patrolling all mosques in the city.

CNN's Julia Vargas Jones joining me now. Julia, does this video assist in trying to find the suspect or suspects?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, we can tell from that, right, that he's wearing that mask. He appears to be a white male. We see them facing the mosque around 11.30 p.m. local time on Thursday, including that spray-painting of those symbols of a Star of David.

We heard from the community that they say they respect that symbol as it is a religious symbol associated with the prophet, Fred, but that using it to deface a place of worship is vandalism and a symbol of Zionism. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've seen an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiments since October 2023. It's a shame. It's a shame to target worship places.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

JONES: And according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, there are more than 60,000 practicing Muslims worshipping in about two dozen mosques in the Austin area that are now going to be patrolled. Fred?

WHITFIELD: The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Austin says that this incident reflects a broader pattern that they're observing across the state. To what extent -- what are police saying?

JONES: Yes, they are and they're saying that they want more patrolling of those mosques. Now the Austin Police Department said in a statement that they strongly encourage our community to come forward and report any suspicious activity. And they say that this is part of ongoing efforts from the city to ensure that the community is one where everyone feels safe, valued and respected, and where hate is not tolerated. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Vargas Jones, keep us posted. Thank you so much.

All right, still ahead, Russia launching a major attack on Ukraine's capital just hours after the biggest prisoner exchange since the start of the war.

Plus, a sudden, shocking message to dozens of employees at the National Security Council. Take 30 minutes to clear out your desks and go on administrative leave. That was the email.

And it has been five years since the murder of George Floyd sparked outrage and protests across the country. Today, the community reflects on what has happened since that tragic day.

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[13:23:26]

WHITFIELD: New today, more than 600 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners were exchanged. It's part of the biggest prisoner swap since the war began. Also today, Russia launched a major drone and missile attack on the capital of Kyiv and other parts of the country. Ukrainian officials say at least 13 people are dead and more than 50 injured.

CNN Correspondent Paula Hancocks is with us right now. Paula, take us through the latest.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, starting off with that prisoner exchange we saw today. This is the second day of three days expected, where some 2,000 prisoners are expected to be handed over 1,000 Russian, 1,000 Ukrainian, the biggest prisoner exchange that we have seen since the start of this war in February 2022.

Now, we saw some very emotional scenes, as many of those prisoners draped in Ukrainian flags were reunited with family members. Some of them have been held for three years. And we heard from Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well, the Ukrainian leader, saying that he thanked everybody that was involved.

This is him speaking on Friday on day one of this prisoner exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

PRES. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN (through translation): The main thing of today is that the exchange took place. This is the first stage of the largest exchange that was agreed upon in Turkey. It was the only significant result of the meeting in Turkey, and the Russians are blocking everything else. They are blacking it for now.

But the return of our people is exactly what we're always working for. We will definitely return everyone, every one of our citizens, every Ukrainian military and civilian, all Ukrainian hostages held in Russia. We must free them all.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

[13:25:14]

HANCOCKS: Now, this prisoner exchange was really the only significant outcome that came from that meeting last week in Istanbul, where Russian and Ukrainian officials met directly for the first time since soon after the war started. And we heard there from the Ukrainian leader just how important it is. But, of course, it comes at the same time as we are seeing some devastating attacks by Russia on the whole of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy saying overnight it was a difficult night for all of Ukraine. And that's because within a 24-hour period, we saw some 13 people killed, more than 50 injured, with more than half a dozen regions across the whole country being targeted by drones and also by missiles. So we're hearing from authorities some 250 strike drones and some 14 ballistic missiles.

Now, the majority of them were intercepted and shot down, but those that did get through were particularly deadly. So we really are seeing two very contradictory pictures emerging in Ukraine at the moment.

We did hear from the U.S. President. He said on social media this could lead to something big. Three question marks when talking about the prisoner exchanges. But what we are hearing on the ground from officials is that this doesn't necessarily signal anything more positive than the fact that these prisoners are coming home.

The fact this is the fifth prisoner exchange we've seen this year and the 64th since the war started. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Paula Hancocks, thank you so much.

All right, still to come, President Trump made economic waves across Europe when he threatened hefty new tariffs against the European Union. We'll have an update on the response.

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[13:31:30]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right. Multiple officials at the National Security Council began Memorial Day weekend with an email telling them that they were now on administrative leave. Sources say the Trump administration dismissed more than 100 officials as part of a restructuring under interim National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, who is also serving as U.S. Secretary of State. The NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president's foreign policy agenda.

CNN correspondent Julia Benbrook is following these developments. Julia, what more can you tell us about this email from Friday?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also his acting National Security advisor, have ordered a major overhaul to the National Security Council. And we're learning that more than 100 NSC staffers were placed on administrative leave, Friday. And that among those that were placed on leave were career officials as well as political hires during the Trump administration.

And as you mentioned, Fredricka, the NSC plays a critical role in coordinating the president's foreign policy agenda and is staffed by foreign policy experts from across the U.S. government. But they have played a diminished role under Trump, and these overhauls will likely reduce their influence on the White House even more.

Now, when it comes to that email, an administration official tells us that it went out just a little after 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The Friday before a long holiday weekend. And it told those that were being dismissed that they had 30 minutes to pack up their things and leave. And if they were off campus at the time that email went out, that they could coordinate a time to pick up their personal belongings and then drop off some of their devices. That email at the title said, your return to your home agency, indicating that most of those who were affected were detailed to the NSC from various other agencies and departments.

One official described this whole process, though especially happening before this long weekend, late on a Friday, described it as unprofessional and reckless.

WHITFIELD: And then Julia, the president, also on Friday threatened the EU with 50 percent tariffs, venting his frustrations online about the lack of progress over trade negotiations. So what can people expect come June 1st?

BENBROOK: President Donald Trump did lay out a big threat against the European Union, a 50 percent tariff on goods coming from the European Union to take place at the beginning of June. And he cited a lack of effort on trade negotiations on their part so far. In fact, he said, quote, "Our discussions with them are going nowhere."

Then later in the day after that announcement, he escalated this conversation, saying that he doesn't really see a deal to be done here. That that 50 percent tariff is the deal, leaving some to question what the goal is here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's time that we play the game the way I know how to play the game. I'm not looking for a deal. I mean, we've set the deal. It's at 50 percent. But again, there is no tariff if they build their plant here. Now, if somebody comes in and wants to build a plant here, I can talk to them about a little bit of a delay. But, you know, while they're building their plant, which is something I think that would be appropriate, maybe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: The EU's trade chief said that any sort of a trade agreement between the EU and the United States must be based in mutual respect and not threats.

[13:35:09]

Now, this was not the only tariff that was top of mind for Trump yesterday. He also demanded that Apple and other smartphone manufacturers move production to the United States or face a 25 percent tariff.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook, thank you so much.

All right. Still to come, many Americans are also pretty worried about how Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" will affect them once it makes it through the Senate. Up next, details on the spending cuts that could impact your budget.

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[13:40:20]

WHITFIELD: Tomorrow marks five years since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. Video of Floyd's death showing him taking his final breath under the knee of Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, triggered rage and demands for police reform. But five years later, Trump's Justice Department is now announcing it will end police reform agreements and halt investigations into major departments, including Minneapolis.

And that's where we find CNN's Sara Sidner this weekend. So, Sara, tell me about what people are thinking and feeling today.

SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look, they see these moves by the Trump administration as a slap in the face. But some people here see it as the way the systems always meant to work. They believe that unless people really engage and want to show that they really, truly want to see change, that they will never see it. And it has to come from the streets, from the neighborhoods, demanding change from their legislators. But here in George Floyd Square, five years on, it's more like a love fest than it is filled with rage and anger, as it was five years ago when I stood in this very spot where people were deeply mourning but enraged about what they saw on that video that really impacted the entire world and sent people to the streets even during COVID.

You're hearing there -- there is a, you know, a DJ here. She's giving a speech right now. But we are right across from where George Floyd was killed by then officer Derek Chauvin. And while the other officers stood there and watched while bystanders were screaming, begging them to check George Floyd's pulse, to check to see if he was breathing, as he's saying, I can't breathe. I can't breathe. And eventually went silent.

Take a look at this. Because it is extremely unusual. I have covered many, many, many years, more than a decade of police shootings, shooting unarmed black men and women. And there's nothing like this. There's nothing that stands like this. And there's a reason for that, where you are seeing George Floyd's picture there down on the ground, is where his body laid as the officer, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on his neck and where he took his final breath.

And there's really nowhere else that looks quite like this. And you may be wondering why that is. It's because the community here wanted people to see a visual representation of what happened here. They never want to forget. They also have a long line of names of people who have been killed by police, who were unarmed. They have it sketched into the ground.

Again, the idea here is to remind people of what happened, to remind them of the sorrow, to remind them of the rage, but to act, to try and do something, to try and create something that makes the community better and that makes the police better.

Now, we've talked to Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, who at the time was completely and utterly destroyed and distraught on that day, on May 25th, when he saw the video of his brother dying on camera for the world to see. And I asked him about what he thought about what the Trump administration is doing and what he thought about what has happened five years on. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILONISE FLOYD, GEORGE FLOYD'S BROTHER: He said on my brother's neck, like my brother was a piece of an animal or something like that that was out there. He just did what he wanted to do, and you can see it in his eyes that he didn't care. And so many people seen that and the fact still stands that we need people to hold police accountable. That's the bottom line. I understand police, they have to do their job. But also, you have to have respect for others.

And at the end of the day, it's not just my family. You got to think about Breonna Taylor. You got to think about Ahmaud Arbery. You got to think about Eric Garner. You got to think about Stephon Clark -- Stephon Clark. You got to think about so much because just being around all these families, I don't want to be a part of this, you know, I think about Tyre Nichols every day. I think about what his mother is going through. I think about what happened to any individual who lost their loved one due to this.

I'm going to constantly think about that because there's a lot of people who wake up every day and don't know what's going to go on in the world that we live in today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:45:00]

SIDNER: Now, some of the family is here. Philonise and much of the family is in Houston, where they all grew up. And they're having commemorations there. But in this square, I mean, you're seeing everyone from artists like Sean Garrison who is literally trying to recreate this scene on canvas. This really is a community effort to bring people together, to remember, to commemorate, but also to act.

And we are seeing people from all over the country. We met people from Kansas City, from New Orleans, from all over the place who have come here to commemorate this moment because they remember in 2020, when we were all scared because we were worried about whether we were going to have our breath because COVID had come in and nobody knew exactly how it was spreading. And they wanted to come here to remember the moment and see it in person five years on.

It just shows you sort of the strength of this community and the draw for people who want to see justice done and to make sure that America is a better place and that policing is what it is supposed to be, which is to protect and serve. Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, it was an unforgettable moment. And of course, no one should ever forget it.

All right. Sara Sidner there in Minneapolis. We'll check back with you. Thank you so much.

And well be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:50:55]

WHITFIELD: President Trump on Friday announced a partnership involving a former symbol of America's industrial might. U.S. Steel will enter a planned partnership with Japan's Nippon Steel Corporation, according to an online post from the president. While Trump's post did not share much about what was included in the deal, it comes at a time when higher costs are hitting the industry.

CNN's Whitney Wild went to the heart of steel country to see how tariffs are impacting production.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY WILD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the heart of American steel country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're good. Come forward.

WILD: Global trade is thriving.

MICHAEL UREMOVICH, OWNER, MANHATTAN MECHANICAL SERVICES: Oh, this pipe here is Japan, Nippon Steel. That's Ukraine there. So it's from -- it's from all over the world. It's crazy.

WILD: Michael Uremovich owns Manhattan Mechanical Services in East Chicago, Illinois. He sources large steel pipes for clients like oil refineries and pharmaceutical plants.

Here, skilled workers refit the pipes then install them on maintenance projects or new build jobs. Most of the products he needs come from outside the U.S.

UREMOVICH: I started this company 15 years ago, but I've been in this industry for 50 years.

WILD (on camera): And what was the industry like when you started? What -- was this type of supply available when you started this job?

UREMOVICH: Oh, everything was domestic back then.

WILD (voice-over): Uremovich says it's a problem President Donald Trump can solve. He supports Trump's long list of tariffs on international products like these pipes. Even if that means he's paying more for equipment.

(on camera): How much more is piping costing you right now?

UREMOVICH: Because of the tariffs, that's up about 25 percent from where it was a year ago.

WILD: And how do you handle that higher cost?

UREMOVICH: Well, we have to put it in our proposal to our clients that this is a price for the pipe and that we're awarded the job. We have to rebid the job because the price is going to go up again next week.

ANDREW WILLIAMS, LOGISTICS MANAGER, MANHATTAN MECHANICAL SERVICES: We're at the mercy of whatever they can ship to us.

WILD (voice-over): Andrew Williams is his logistics manager. His job, find equipment for the best price and fastest delivery.

WILLIAMS: I was probably on the phone, probably like five to six hours a day. Now it's at least eight to nine, if not more.

WILD: Williams says lead times and prices for critical equipment are changing rapidly, sometimes during calls to finalize a deal.

WILLIAMS: It was four hours. We got the proposal, we submitted the PO, and then they were trying to say the pricing changed. After availability -- WILD (on camera): In four hours?

WILLIANS: In four hours.

WILD (voice-over): Some experts worry that volatility could curb a resurgence of industrial construction in the Midwest, hit heavily by the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. manufacturing industry experienced a rebound in the years that followed, benefiting communities in America's heartland. Now, some worry if the tariffs last too long, that growth will slow too.

ANIRBAN BASU, CHIEF ECONOMIST ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS: For many enterprises, including certain Midwestern manufacturers, particularly smaller and mid-size manufacturers, this becomes an existential issue. They don't have enough cash flow to survive six or nine horrific months in terms of sales volume and rising costs.

WILD: Uremovich says, he's confident Trump's bet will pay off and he's prepared to wait.

WILD (on camera): Do you think you can handle a year or two years of a little bit of a crunch?

UREMOVICH: We can handle a year. I think this is short term. I think this has to be done. It's got to correct what's been going on for the last 30 years. And all the businessmen I talked to feel like this economy is going to come roaring back after we get through this next six months here.

WILD (voice-over): Whitney Wild, CNN, East Chicago, Indiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:59:09]

WHITFIELD: All right. An 11 mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway is now reopened in Los Angeles County, almost a week ahead of schedule. Business owners and people who live along the PCH pleaded with officials to reopen the road sooner. Access was limited to communities after the Palisades Fire ravaged the area back in January. Two lanes are open in both directions, marking a major step in the efforts to rebuild in the Palisades.

LAPD and the California Highway Patrol are set to increase their presence there when the National Guard pulls out at the end of May.

L.A. Mayor Karen -- Karen Bass says the Palisades is on track to be the fastest recovery effort in California history.

All right. Sunday in the CNN original series "My Happy Place," Academy Award winning actress Octavia Spencer takes us to New Orleans, where she explores unique traditions and the culture there. Be sure to tune in next, this Sunday at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.