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Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, said she will not use the US Department of Justice to attack people based on their politics during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
“There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice,” she told senators as she was repeatedly pressed about her loyalty to Trump. “I will not politicize this office.
But Bondi, who would become the nation’s top law enforcement official if confirmed for the role by a Senate vote, did not directly rule out investigations into those with whom the president-elect has clashed.
“It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment on anything,” she said when asked if she would investigate Jack Smith, who is leading two criminal cases against Trump.
Trump repeatedly threatened to investigate and possibly prosecute his political enemies during the campaign.
Bondi, who is likely to be confirmed as the 87th U.S. attorney general given the Republican majority in the House, stressed during the hearing that she will remain independent.
But she echoed Trump’s view that the federal prosecution of him was political persecution, saying the department “has been in the gun for years and years and years.”
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican, said the department had “become infected with political decision-making” and said it had been “weaponized” under the Biden administration, particularly against Trump.
Those descriptions were echoed by other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Bondi agreed with their assessment.
Meanwhile, questions from Democratic senators focused on whether Bondi would say no to the president-elect.
“The concern is that there could be a weaponization of the Justice Department during your tenure,” Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse told Bondi. “We want to make sure that’s not the case, that you will remain independent.”
They also focused some of their questioning on FBI director nominee Kash Patel, who, if confirmed, would report to Bondi.
The FBI nominee said he has an “enemies list” of people he would go after if confirmed. Multiple senators asked Bondi about those comments, but she said she had not heard them and the Justice Department would not have such a list.
Bondi also told the committee he would consider potential pardons for the Capitol rioters “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, which enforces federal laws. If confirmed for the role, Bondi will provide legal advice and opinions to the president and executive department heads.
Her confirmation vote has not yet been scheduled, but is expected in the coming days.
On Wednesday, senators also questioned Marco Rubio, who is expected to be confirmed as Trump’s secretary of state.
He warned that Washington must change course to avoid greater dependence on China and promised to overhaul US foreign policy to focus on American interests.
