Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Newsmax on Friday that President Donald Trump is a masterful negotiator.
"One of the reasons President Trump is so effective, particularly vis a vis our adversaries, is he keeps them guessing," Hoeven said on "National Report." "They don't know what he's going to do, but they know he's going to take strong action."
Hoeven said Ukraine and Russia know that they can't count on anything until any deal or multiple agreements are locked in place.
"I think what you see President Trump doing is he's changing the dynamic in terms of the negotiation, both with Russia and with Ukraine, so that they are uncertain to get them to the table, to force them to negotiate a permanent and lasting peace," Hoeven said.
Hoeven said has shown he means business in how he deals with China.
"They do not play fair. They steal our copyrights, patent infringement," Hoeven said. "And we have to be tough with them. President Trump was in his first term in office and ultimately he negotiated a $50 billion deal for our farmers and ranchers to make sales to China. And so that is something that he needs to do in terms of knocking down both their tariff and non-tariff trade barriers."
Hoeven said he believes Trump's focus on Mexico and Canada is leveraging for reciprocity to stop fentanyl smuggling and bring balance to trade issues.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.