The attorney general nominee spoke about his loyalty to Trump

Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, said she would not use the US Justice Department to target people based on their politics, during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

“There will never be an enemy list in the Justice Department,” he told senators when pressed repeatedly about his loyalty to Trump. “I will not politicize that office.”

But Bondi, who would become the nation’s law enforcement officer if confirmed by a Senate vote, did not outright rule out launching investigations into those who have collided with the president-elect.

“It would be reckless of me to compromise on anything,” he said when asked if he would investigate Jack Smith, who led two criminal cases against Trump.

Trump repeatedly threatened to investigate and prosecute his political enemies during the election campaign.

Bondi, who is likely to be confirmed as the 87th U.S. attorney general given the Republican majority in the chamber, insisted throughout the hearing that he would remain independent.

But Trump echoed his view that the federal charges against him were political harassment, saying the department “has been in the gun for years and years and years.”

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a Republican, said the department was “tainted by political decision-making” and that it had been “weaponized” under the Biden administration, particularly against Trump.

These descriptions were echoed by other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Bondi agreed with their assessment.

Questions from Democratic senators, meanwhile, focused on whether Bondi would say no to the president-elect.

“The concern is that the weaponization of the justice department could happen under your tenure,” Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse told Bondi. “We want to make sure that’s not the case, that you remain independent.”

Part of the questioning focused on FBI director-designate Kash Patel, who, if confirmed, would report on Bondi.

The FBI nominee has said he has a “list of enemies” he will seek out if confirmed. Several senators asked Bondi about those comments, but he said he had not heard them and that the justice department would not have such a list.

Bondi also told the committee he would consider potential pardons for the Capitol insurgents on a “case-by-case basis,” but added that he condemned “any violence against a law enforcement officer in this country.”

The Attorney General serves as the head of the Department of Justice that enforces federal laws. If confirmed in the role, Bondi would provide legal advice and opinions to the president and heads of executive departments.

His confirmation vote is not yet scheduled, but is expected in the coming days.

On Wednesday, senators also questioned Marco Rubio, who will be confirmed as Trump’s secretary of state.

He warned that Washington needs to change direction to avoid being dependent on China, and he promised to reform US foreign policy to focus on US interests.