Later, at the same hearing, Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California also asked, “(Trump) said Jack Smith should go to prison. Are you going to investigate Jack Smith?” Bondi replied, “Senator, I don’t have the file seen.”

The exchange was relevant for a variety of reasons, not least because of the ongoing debate over whether President Joe Biden, whose term ends in just five days, will issue preemptive pardons to protect those who may face political retaliation from his Republican successor.

Just last week, the retiring Democrat publicly admitted in an interview with USA Today that he was actually considering such a move before he leaves the White House, although Biden did not elaborate on his plans other than saying that he was discussing protections for “certain people” thought.

None of this has been lost on Trump’s potential targets, including Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chaired the bipartisan committee on Jan. 6 – a body the president-elect has condemned in hysterical terms. The longtime Mississippi congressman told Punchbowl News he had spoken to the White House counsel’s office about the matter, adding that he would accept a pardon if offered.

“I believe Donald Trump when he says he will retaliate for this,” Thompson said. “I think when he says my name and Liz Cheney and the others. I believe him.”

It’s unlikely that Bondi’s comments during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing were reassuring to Thompson or the president-elect’s other potential targets.