Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, vowed on Thursday to collaborate with Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., in uncovering those who aided Jeffrey Epstein in trafficking and exploiting children.

During Patel’s confirmation hearing, Blackburn pressed him on how he would handle the Epstein case, noting that despite Epstein’s death in 2019 while awaiting trial, many details—including the identities of those who flew on his plane—remain undisclosed. Last year, nearly 200 previously redacted names from court documents in a lawsuit against Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, were made public, but Blackburn insisted more information still needs to come to light, reports Fox.

BREAKING: Marsha Blackburn just GLORIOUSLY called out all the Democrats who fear Kash Patel's confirmation. The Epstein Client List is coming!

Blackburn: "Why are the Democrats so afraid of you?"

Patel: "I don't know, Senator. You'd have to ask them."

Blackburn: "I wanna talk… pic.twitter.com/ym8eOkdhea

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 30, 2025

“I want to talk to you about the Epstein case. I have worked on this for years trying to get those records of who flew on Epstein’s plane and who helped him build this international human trafficking sex trafficking ring,” she said.

She also criticized former Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, accusing him of obstructing efforts to obtain those records.

“Now, earlier, I urged then Chairman Durbin to subpoena those records, and I ended up being blocked by Senator Durbin and Christopher Wray. They stonewalled on this,” Blackburn said. “And I know that breaking up these trafficking rings is important to President Trump. So will you work with me on this issue? So we know who worked with Jeffrey Epstein in building these sex trafficking rings?”

“Absolutely, Senator,” Patel replied. “Child sex trafficking has no place in the United States of America. And I will do everything, if confirmed as FBI director, to make sure the American public knows the full weight of what happened in the past and how we are going to counterman missing children and exploited children going forward.”

Following the exchange, Durbin requested an opportunity to respond, denying Blackburn’s claims that he had obstructed the release of Epstein-related records.

“My office subsequently reached out to hers to try to identify what records she was actually seeking. We did not receive a response,” Durbin said.

Blackburn pushed back, insisting she had made multiple attempts to raise the issue, including addressing it on the Senate floor.

Patel’s nomination has already faced opposition from some Democrats, who have characterized Patel as someone who will prosecuting journalists and Justice Department officials he believes are part of the “deep state.” Critics also pointed to his 2023 book, Government Gangsters, where he highlights how government employees have politicized federal agencies and calls for a sweeping overhaul of the FBI.