That sentiment was shared by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on NBC: “Patel’s only qualification is that he agrees with Donald Trump that the Department of Justice should punish, lockup and intimidate Donald Trump’s political opponents.”

“He’s absolutely unqualified for this job," Charles Kupperman, a deputy national security adviser during Trump's first term, told the Wall Street Journal. Patel is "untrustworthy," he said, and his nomination an insult. “It’s an absolute disgrace to American citizens to even consider an individual of this nature."