Republican Senator Mike Rounds emphasized his support for current FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom President-elect Donald Trump wants to fire and replace with controversial loyalist Kash Patel.

“I think the president picked a very good man to be director of the FBI when he did it in his first term,” Rounds told ABC “This Week” co-host Jonathan Karl about Wray. “When we meet with him behind closed doors, I have no objections to the way he has conducted himself and therefore at the moment I have no complaints about the way he has done his job.”

However, Rounds reiterated the president-elect’s right to choose his Cabinet, and Trump’s selection of Patel is not surprising.

“It doesn’t surprise me that he chooses people who he believes are very loyal to him, and that was part of the process,” Rounds said. “Every president wants people who are loyal to themselves.”

In his book “Government Gangsters,” Patel calls for a “comprehensive purge” of the Justice Department and an elimination of “government tyranny” within the FBI, and promises to fire and prosecute officials. Patel has also promoted conspiracy theories about the “deep state” and vehemently defended the January 6 rioters.

The president-elect’s nomination of Patel confirms that he intends to fire Wray, whom Trump appointed during his first term.

“The president has the right to make nominations, but they are typically for a 10-year term,” Rounds explained. “We’ll see what his process is and whether he actually makes this nomination.”

Rounds reiterated that while the Senate will “give Trump the benefit of the doubt,” it will maintain its “constitutional role” of “advice and consent.”

“We will have an opportunity, and the American people will have an opportunity, to see both the questions raised and the answers with which these nominees respond,” Rounds promised.

Turning to global conflicts, Rounds called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “tyrant” and suggested that negotiations with him may be pointless.

“I think Mr. Putin is a tyrant. “I think he’s going to be extremely difficult to deal with,” Rounds said, expressing hope that Trump would succeed but acknowledging that it would be a challenge for “any president.”

“I want Ukraine’s sovereignty to be protected,” he said, expressing his strong support for Ukraine. “I just think it will be a big, big task to overcome what Putin is offering.”

He added that “a man who doesn’t keep his word” cannot be trusted, which is what he said Putin did.

Referring to Trump’s promise to impose 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, Rounds said the president-elect is a “successful businessman” who “really believes that tariffs can be a great tool.”

“He believes that by proposing these tariffs now he will get the attention of the leaders in the other countries,” Rounds said, adding that Trump believes the tariffs will “fix our borders.”

But Rounds also acknowledged the demands of his constituents, particularly South Dakota farmers who could be affected by the tariffs.

In 2018, China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing tariffs on U.S. soy exports that hurt U.S. farmers.

“Look, we are an (agricultural) state. And when I talk to my farmers and ranchers about this, they are worried about retaliation,” Rounds said, but added that they understand the importance of tariffs, especially when it comes to the border.

“If we need tariffs, then so be it,” he said. “We will support the president.”