A government official indicated that President Donald Trumpalready has a list of potential Supreme Court candidates "who will defend the Constitution and the rule of law" in case a vacancy opens up in the high court.
"There is a list," the source confided to the Washington Examiner. "Many of these people who could be chosen are already individuals who, in a sense, have been evaluated". Another former administration official added that most of the potential nominees are judges from the federal courts of appeals, which would allow the White House to act quickly if necessary.
The speculation arose from a false news report spread last Tuesday by the far-left outlet NPR, which claimed that conservative Justice Samuel Alito planned to retire after the publication of the latest Supreme Court opinions for this term. Although the report was retracted within minutes and the network formally apologized, the information generated strong speculation in Washington.
Trump welcomes Judge Alito at an event at the White House
Trump praises Alito's work on the Court
Despite the court itself denying the retirement rumors, the situation led Trump to declare in an interview with Breitbart that he is ready for Alito's retirement or that of any other justice. "If you listen to people, there are three potential vacancies for various reasons, so I am certainly prepared," the president stated
The president praised Alito's work on the Court and declared himself the "number one fan" of the justice, who was nominated by George W. Bush in 2005. "He's fantastic. He's one of the most incredible people I've ever met," Trump said. "He's brilliant. He's extremely solid and very respected."
However, the Republican leader acknowledged that the idea of nominating a younger conservative judge who could serve for several decades is tempting: "I would love to choose a younger version of him, but there is no younger version of him," the magnate noted.
Nominating a constitutionalist to the highest court could become a complex process if Republicans lose seats in the Senate after the midterm elections. During his first term, Trump nominated judges Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, successfully consolidating the current conservative majority of the Court.
