Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be FBI director, defended his ability Thursday to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency and addressed his past controversial remarks during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing.

Democrats persistently rung alarms about Patel’s professions of obeisance to Trump. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island suggested Patel fit the mold of an authoritarian foot soldier, characterizing him as vengeful, intemperate, and servile. “I’m afraid that the history of this nominee’s conduct raises those warnings,” he said.