MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — President Donald Trump is expected to announce his decision on a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Monday night. “I’m very close to making a final decision. And I believe this person will do a great job,” Trump said Sunday as he prepared to return to Washington from a weekend trip at his New Jersey golf club. Asked by reporters how many people were being considered, the president said: “Let’s say it’s the four people … they’re excellent, every one. You can’t go wrong.” Of the four, CBS News reports there are three final contenders including federal appeals judges Brett Kavanaugh, Raymond Kethledge, and Amy Coney Barrett. MORE FROM CBS NEWS Trump has not yet communicated a final choice, said a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to speak publicly. Trump has spent the weekend discussing his options with allies and will announce his pick at 9 p.m. EDT Monday from the White House. I have long heard that the most important decision a U.S. President can make is the selection of a Supreme Court Justice – Will be announced tonight at 9:00 P.M. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2018 In his conversations over the weekend, Trump expressed renewed interest in Hardiman — the runner-up when Trump nominated Gorsuch, said two people with knowledge of his thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly. But Trump’s final decision remained far from clear, and the president wants to keep the guessing game going. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Roy Blunt of Missouri said Sunday that they believe any of the top four contenders could get confirmed by the GOP-majority Senate. “I think we can confirm any of the four names being mentioned,” Blunt said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” ”They’re good judges. I think they’d be fine justices of the Supreme Court. I do think the president has to think about who is the easiest to get confirmed here. And I expect we will do that on sort of a normal timetable, a couple of months.” The president and White House officials involved in the process have fielded calls and messages and have been on the receiving end of public pleas and op-eds for or against specific candidates since Kennedy announced on June 27 that he would retire this summer. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Trump To Announce SCOTUS Nominee Monday Night
