Trump hopes to nominate a Supreme Court justice within two weeks of taking office
President-elect Donald Trump said at a news conference on Wednesday that will probably nominate a Supreme Court justice within two weeks of his inauguration.
Trump said he is working off a list of 20 possible candidates, which contradicts unconfirmed reports that he had narrowed his 21-lawyer shortlist to a handful of candidates. CNN, Politico and the National Law Journal (sub. req.) have stories.
“I have a list of 20, met with numerous candidates,” Trump said. Helping him with the decision, Trump said, are Federalist Society executive vice president Leonard Leo, Heritage Foundation president Jim DeMint, and some Republican lawmakers.
Trump said the Supreme Court was a priority because the direction of the court was a major issue that helped him get elected. “The people of this country did not want to see what was happening with the Supreme Court,” Trump said.
