President Donald Trump is prepared to launch attacks against Iranian infrastructure if ceasefire negotiations break down ahead of the Wednesday deadline, though he said he believes officials will come to an agreement that benefits the United States.

“What I think is that we’re going to end up with a great deal,” Trump said during an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” show on April 21. “I think they have no choice.”

He emphasized that “we totally control the straits” and are subjecting Iran to economic pressures during the pause in military operations.

A further extension of the ceasefire deadline is potentially off the table.

“No, I don’t want to do that,” Trump said. “We don’t have that much time.”

The U.S. military is ready and “raring to go,” Trump said.

“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with,” he added.

The nation’s bridges and power plants are threatened with destruction if a deal is not struck soon.

“It’s not my choice, but it will also hurt them,” Trump said, acknowledging a reluctance to strike civilian infrastructure but noting the move would be necessary to limit the regime’s ability to mobilize weaponry. “It'll hurt them militarily.”

The president called on Iranian leaders to release eight imprisoned women and criticized the regime for killing 42,000 protesters in recent months.

“Many of them hung, so we’re not dealing with the nicest group of people,” Trump said. “But we’re dealing with them very successfully, and the blockade has been a tremendous success.”

He proposed a mutually beneficial outcome, calling on negotiators to prioritize years-long peace and prosperity.

“Iran can get themselves at a very good footing if they make a deal,” Trump said. “They can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again.”

Since joint Israeli and U.S. strikes began on Feb. 28, thousands of bombs and missiles targeted Iran’s navy and air force, destroying 159 Iranian ships and heavily damaging the nation’s defensive capacity, according to the president.

“We have totally [beaten] them militarily, and otherwise,” Trump said, highlighting the success of current operations and the bombing run code-named Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025.

“We are victorious. If we left right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild, and they can’t get the nuclear dust because it was obliterated by the B-2 bombers that went in.”

The status of the nuclear dust, containing highly enriched uranium, is unclear. Trump posted on Truth Social on April 17 that the United States would receive the material in question.

Some critics of the war, including Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), are challenging Operation Epic Fury, calling it an “epic failure” and a “reckless war.”

Trump rejected the criticisms as detrimental to national security.

“They shouldn’t be saying that when we’re in the midst of a negotiation, because it does hurt us somewhat,” he said. “It belies some hope, and I don’t want them to have hope.”

Lawmakers attempting to expedite the process are interfering with military strategy, according to the president.

“We’ve done a great job, and I don’t want to be rushed by people that are really treasonous,” Trump said.

He described the operation as a “journey” that will cause temporary disruptions to the economy and higher prices for oil, but is a necessary detour to block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“Yeah, it’s going to hurt the market, and it’s going to drive up the price of oil and whatever it is, but that’s peanuts compared to what would happen if we let this happen,” Trump said.

“I thought it would be down much more, and I thought the oil would be much higher, and I’m very happy to say that it wasn’t.”