President Trump Discusses Iran Deal, Interest Rates in CNBC Interview

Releases

President Trump Addresses Key Issues Facing the Nation in Exclusive CNBC Interview

The White House

April 21, 2026

This morning, President Donald J. Trump joined CNBC’s Squawk Box for an exclusive interview, delivering candid, wide-ranging remarks on some of the most pressing issues facing the country.

Click here to watch the full interview

Here’s what you missed:

• President Trump highlighted America’s powerful negotiating position with Iran: “What I think is that we’re going to end up with a great deal. I think they have no choice… We’re in a very strong negotiating position to do what other Presidents should’ve done during a 47-year period — we’ve had 47 years with these bloodthirsty people.” (Watch)
• President Trump outlined the benefits of a responsible agreement for the Iranian people: “Iran can get themselves on a very good footing if they make a deal. They can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again. They have incredible people, but they seem to be bloodthirsty. They’re led by some very, very unfortunately tough people — and I don’t mean tough in a good way… They have to use reason and they have to use common sense, and they can get themselves into a great position to make themselves into a great country — but a legitimate country, not a country based on death and horror.” (Watch)
• President Trump stressed the U.S. remains prepared to take decisive action if negotiations fail: “I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with — but we’re ready to go.” (Watch)
• President Trump criticized Radical Left Democrats for undermining America’s interests: “I watch this Low IQ guy, Hakeem Jeffries— he’s a totally Low IQ person — and he’s always ranting and raving, ‘Oh, this war is so terrible.’ They shouldn’t be saying that when we’re in the midst of a negotiation because it does hurt us somewhat. It gives the other side some hope, and I don’t want them to have hope.” (Watch)
• President Trump warned of the catastrophic consequences of failing to confront the Iranian threat: “Do you want to see a bad stock market? Try blowing up the Middle East, and then Europe, and then they come for us. We’re not going to let that happen.”  (Watch)
• President Trump reaffirmed American strength and independence: “NATO said to me, ‘No, we’ll send somebody as soon as it’s over’… We don’t need them. We’ll never need them. Actually, they’ll need us — they need us desperately because they’re a paper tiger.” (Watch)
• President Trump voiced strong support for his nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh: “I want Kevin. I think Kevin’s great. He’s central casting in a true sense. I think he’s going to do a great job.” (Watch)
• President Trump discussed his views on interest rates: “I’ve been in favor of interest rates rate rises to stop inflation. I think it sort of is effective. But there’s one thing and nobody ever talks about it but me, unfortunately… We should have the lowest interest rate in the world.” (Watch)
• President Trump addressed challenges facing the airline industry: “Spirit is in trouble and I’d love somebody to buy Spirit. It’s 14,000 jobs… But with American, it’s doing fine, and United is doing very well… I don’t like having them merge.” (Watch)
• President Trump criticized the impact of NIL policies and court decisions on college sports: “Look what happened with NIL — they destroyed college sports, the courts… They had such a great system. It was a scholarship system. You get free college if you’re a good athlete, you get this, you get that, and it took care of every sport — fencing, not only football. Now, it’s all football, and the football is bringing down colleges because they’re losing [money]… The court system — a person that never had anything to do with sports, very liberal leaning, Democrat, liberal — she decided that the sports system that was in place for 150 years is no good… And because of that, college sports is a disaster right now.” (Watch) Click here to watch the full interview.