Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not consider Egypt's leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a tyrant after being asked by Senator Patrick Leahy.
"I would not use that characterization," Pompeo said.
"Even though he locked up political opponents and claimed victory after a sham election?" Leahy asked.
"There’s no doubt that it’s a mean, nasty world out there, but not every one of these leaders is the same. Some of them are trying to wipe entire nations off the face of the earth, and others are working with us to help keep Americans safe," Pompeo said in response.
"You might call them a tyrant, you might call them authoritarian. But there’s a fundamental difference in the way the United States should respond."
Pompeo said he had met with Sisi, who arrived in Washington on Monday, and talked to him about "cases concerning U.S. citizens in Egypt," but didn't elaborate.
Sisi has led Egypt since the 2013 ouster of elected President Mohammad Morsi. He was re-elected last year with nearly 98% of the vote after running virtually unopposed, with most major challengers either being jailed or stepping aside under pressure.
Rights groups frequently accuse Egyptian authorities led by Sisi of trying and convicting political opponents on trumped-up criminal charges.
Egyptian officials say all defendants receive fair trials and enjoy due legal process.