President Donald Trump’s pick to run the FBI, Kash Patel, downplayed his past promotion of right-wing conspiracy theories and his pledges to pursue retribution against Trump’s opponents on Thursday at his combative Senate confirmation hearing.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who sits on the powerful Judiciary Committee and has backed his nomination, defended Patel from claims he would weaponize the agency against the president’s foes.

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is insisting to deeply skeptical Democrats 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 politically motivated investigations.