Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, insisted to deeply skeptical Democrats on Thursday that he did not have an “enemies list" and that the bureau under his leadership would not seek retribution against the president's adversaries or launch investigations for political purposes.

Patel told senators he would commit himself to "due process and transparency" if confirmed as the bureau's director.

Patel is a controversial nominee, having long raged against the so-called Deep State and prioritized his loyalty to Trump.