Frank Nez 
On September 4, 2025, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply criticized President Donald Trump for his handling of negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, accusing him of weakness that allows Putin to “walk all over him.”
In an interview with NBC News, Shaheen described Trump’s repeated concessions to Putin as a “textbook example of what not to do” in diplomacy, particularly after Putin ignored Trump’s self-imposed deadlines for peace talks.
Her remarks, part of a broader bipartisan push for tougher sanctions on Russia, underscore growing concerns about U.S. credibility as global tensions rise and Trump’s domestic policies face scrutiny ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Shaheen’s Critique of Trump’s Diplomacy
Shaheen told NBC News, “The way to negotiate is not to let someone walk all over you, which is what Putin is doing to Trump,” highlighting Trump’s failure to enforce sanctions or secure concrete outcomes in talks with Putin.
She pointed to Trump’s August 15, 2025, summit with Putin in Alaska, where the Russian leader received a high-profile photo op without agreeing to a ceasefire, as a diplomatic failure.
Shaheen noted that Putin’s demands, such as a transitional Ukrainian government to depose President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have gone unchallenged, with Trump offering concessions like pausing munitions shipments to Ukraine.
In a May 2025 Fox News op-ed, she wrote, “Donald Trump says never let yourself be pushed around—but that’s exactly what Vladimir Putin is doing to him,” citing Putin’s missile attack on a Ukrainian playground after Trump proposed an unconditional ceasefire.
Shaheen has consistently argued that Trump’s reluctance to impose new sanctions or reverse decisions like halting air defense systems weakens U.S. leverage and emboldens adversaries like China.
Bipartisan Push for Sanctions
Shaheen is championing the Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill, which has 85 Senate co-sponsors and aims to pressure Russia into negotiations.
She warned that without action, “Putin crosses one redline after another by killing Ukrainians in savage attacks,” including civilian deaths.
Her February 2025 CNN interview condemned Trump’s pro-Russia stance, stating, “It’s clear that Vladimir Putin is manipulating Donald Trump,” and emphasized bipartisan Senate support for Ukraine.
A bipartisan delegation to Kyiv in July, led by Shaheen with Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Trump’s defenders, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), argue he negotiates from strength, with Graham expressing confidence in the Alaska summit.
However, Russian state media and pundits, like Olga Skabeeva, have mocked Trump’s threats of 500% tariffs as empty, claiming Putin secured 50 days to advance in Ukraine without consequences.
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What’s Next For The Trump Administration?
Trump’s foreign policy struggles coincide with domestic woes.
His 10% universal tariffs and up to 145% levies on Chinese goods have driven inflation, with Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry reporting 35-40% order drops, per Raw Story.
Economic indicators show a 1.2% GDP growth rate, 73,000 jobs added in July, and 2.8% core inflation, raising recession fears, per ABC News and Forbes reports.
Trump’s approval rating stands at 39%, amid controversies like the Epstein files and a looming government shutdown over a $4.95 billion pocket rescission.
Shaheen’s history of confronting Russia, including her 2017 Kremlin sanction for opposing election interference, bolsters her credibility.
Her co-chairmanship of the Senate NATO Observer Group reflects her commitment to countering Russian aggression.
Shaheen’s call for Congress to act, including advancing her bipartisan bills to pressure China for supporting Russia’s oil revenue, signals a push to counter Trump’s perceived weakness.
With global leaders like China’s Xi Jinping watching, she warned that a failure in Ukraine could embolden aggression toward Taiwan.
As the 2026 midterms near, Shaheen’s outspokenness could rally Democrats and moderate Republicans, challenging Trump’s grip on the GOP amid economic and political turbulence.
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