This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by <a href="https://www.factset.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset">Factset</a>. Powered and implemented by <a href="https://www.factset.com/solutions/business-needs/digital-solutions" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset_digital_solutions">FactSet Digital Solutions</a>. <a href="https://www.factset.com/privacy" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_factset_privacy">Legal Statement</a>. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by <a href="https://lipperalpha.refinitiv.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="topnav_more_refinitive_info">Refinitiv Lipper</a>. <br>President-elect Trump's nominee for attorney general Pam Bondi had a heated exchange with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., during her confirmation hearing.<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/more-than-100-former-justice-dept-officials-urge-senate-confirm-pam-bondi-ag" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Attorney General nominee</a> Pam Bondi clashed with a senior Democratic senator during her confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday.<br>Bondi was forced to defend President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/national-sheriffs-association-slams-state-policing-under-biden-throws-full-support-behind-patel-fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kash Patel</a>, when Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., pressed her on his past comments. <br>He referenced Patel’s suggestion of closing down FBI headquarters and threatening an "enemies list," among other remarks.<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-ag-pick-has-history-consensus-building"><strong><u>TRUMP'S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’</u></strong></a><br><span>President-elect Donald Trump's Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and Sen. Richard Blumenthal clashed during her confirmation hearing.</span> <span>(Getty Images)</span><br>"Is that a person who, appropriately, should be the FBI director? Aren't those comments inappropriate? Shouldn't you disavow them and and ask him to recant them?" Blumenthal hammered.<br>Bondi replied, "Senator, I am not familiar with all those comments. I have not discussed those comments with Mr. Patel."<br>"What I do know, is Mr. Patel …" she began before Blumenthal attempted to cut her off.<br>Bondi pressed forward, "Excuse me. What I do know is Mr. Patel was a career prosecutor. He was a career public defender, defending people. And he also has great experience within the intelligence community."<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/unlikely-coalition-criminal-reform-advocate-opportunities-second-trump-term"><strong><u>'UNLIKELY COALITION': A CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN A SECOND TRUMP TERM</u></strong></a><br><span>President-elect Donald Trump is pushing the Senate to confirm his nominees.</span> <span>(Donald Trump 2024 campaign)</span><br>"What I can sit here and tell you is, Mr. Patel, if he works with running the FBI, if he is confirmed, and if I am confirmed, he will follow the law. If I am the attorney general of the United States of America, and I don't believe he would do anything otherwise," Bondi said.<br>Blumenthal replied, "Well, let me just submit that the response that I would have hoped to hear from you is that those comments are inappropriate, and that you will ask him to disavow or recant them when he comes before this committee, because they are indeed chilling to fair enforcement and the rule of law."<br>It comes after Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., similarly <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/trump-nominees-pam-bondi-marco-rubio-and-more-face-senate-grilling-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressed Bondi</a> on what Democrats have called Patel’s "enemies list."<br><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/apps-products?pid=AppArticleLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><u>CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP</u></strong></a><strong> </strong><br>They are referring to a list of 60 people in Patel’s book "Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy," who he branded as part of the "deep state."<br>Bondi defended Patel during Whitehouse’s questioning as well, while vowing there would never be an "enemies list" at the DOJ.<br>Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.<br>Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com<br>Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.<br>By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a> and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/terms-of-use">Terms of Use</a>, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.<br>Subscribed<br> You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! <br> This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by <a href="https://www.factset.com/" data-omtr-intcmp="footer_factset">Factset</a>. 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