Rep. Jim Himes James (Jim) Andres HimesMany Democrats want John Bolton's testimony, but Pelosi stays mum SEC's Clayton demurs on firing of Manhattan US attorney he would replace Democrats face tough questions with Bolton MORE (D-Conn.) said early Wednesday that President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE doesn't understand that the government and other entities are not in place to "serve him like some kind of medieval king."

“This is a president who doesn’t understand that the government, that foreign countries, that everybody doesn’t exist to serve him like some kind of medieval king," Himes said on CNN's "New Day."

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“It’s a deeply concerning thing … this is what we used to criticize other countries for doing,” he said.

CNN host Alisyn Camerota then asked Himes about the appointment of Matthew Whitaker and what could stop the acting attorney general from potentially siding with the president on issues like special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's Russia probe.

“You’ve got three protections, at least, against an acting attorney general," he said. "Congress, the Democrats now have the majority in the House … people at the Department of Justice who will stand up for what is right … and of course you’ve got the media, which will be watching this very closely.”

Whitaker's appointment has come under fire because of his past criticisms of the Russia probe into Russia's election meddling and potential collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Moscow, which Whitaker once suggested had gone "too far."

He also previously called for the investigation to be defunded. Trump has called the probe a "witch hunt" and has said it should end.

"When you read this guy's history and you look at the five amendments in a period of one week to his financial history, this is not the A-team at the top of the Department of Justice," Himes said, adding that Whitaker is there "to protect the president."

Rep. @jahimes on Whitaker: "When you read this guy's history and you look at the five amendments in a period of one week to his financial history, this is not the A-team at the top of the Department of Justice," he's there "to protect the President" https://t.co/4AKFdD2XNi pic.twitter.com/KK65asUNiv — New Day (@NewDay) November 21, 2018

Questions about Whitaker's financial past have come into the spotlight after reports emerged Tuesday that he received $1.2 million from a conservative nonprofit at which he was reported as the only employee.