Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for a 10-year term as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, distanced himself on Thursday from Trump’s sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 rioters, telling the Senate Judiciary Committee he did not think violent rioters who assaulted law enforcement deserved a break.

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