Trump’s picks ‘can’t go wrong’
US president confident in nominees to Supreme Court
MORRISTOWN ( New Jersey): President Donald Trump is going down to the wire as he makes his choice on a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, but he says with his final four options “you can’t go wrong”.
Trump spoke to reporters on Sunday as he concluded a weekend in New Jersey spent deliberating his decision at his private golf club amid furious lobbying and frenzied speculation.
Relishing the suspense, Trump insisted he still hadn’t locked down his decision, which he wanted to keep under wraps until the announcement from the White House.
“I’m very close to making a final decision. And I believe this person will do a great job,” Trump said.
Asked by reporters how many people were being considered, the president said: “Let’s say it’s the four people ... they’re excellent.”
While Trump didn’t name the four, top contenders for the role have included federal appeals judges Brett Kavanaugh, Raymond Kethledge, Amy Coney Barrett and Thomas Hardiman.
The White House has been preparing information material on all four, who were part of a longer list of 25 names vetted by conservative groups.
Trump tweeted later on Sunday that he was looking forward to the announcement and said an “exceptional person will be chosen!”.
He is hoping to replicate his successful announcement of Justice Neil Gorsuch last year.
The president has spent the days leading up to the decision mulling the pros and cons of the various options with aides and allies.
He expressed renewed interest in Hardiman – the runner-up when Trump nominated Gorsuch, said two people with knowledge of his thinking who were not authorised to speak publicly.
Hardiman has a personal connection to the president, having served with Trump’s sister on the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.