Attorney General Pam Bondi faced off with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin during a tense session before the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivering sharp criticism of the senator’s policies and actions.

Bondi responded to Durbin’s inquiry about the legal justification for deploying Texas National Guard troops to Chicago, stating, “I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump.” She accused Durbin of neglecting his constituents, noting that local law enforcement officers were unpaid while working to protect residents. Bondi emphasized the urgency of addressing violent crime in the city, citing hundreds of homicides and asserting that President Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops was necessary due to failures at the local level.

Durbin, who has served on the committee for over two decades, expressed surprise at the intensity of Bondi’s response to his question about the legal basis for the deployment. He defended his inquiry as a legitimate duty, stating, “It’s my responsibility.”

The exchange escalated further when Bondi questioned Durbin about his role in blocking access to Epstein flight logs and his ties to Reid Hoffman, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein. She pressed him on why he had opposed Republican requests to release the logs, though Durbin denied receiving donations from Hoffman. Senator Marsha Blackburn supported Bondi’s stance, highlighting inconsistencies in Durbin’s responses.

The confrontation underscored the growing tensions between federal officials and Senate Democrats during the hearing.