President Trump said Monday he is vetting five women for the vacancy on the Supreme Court and confirmed he will make his selection by the weekend.
“Five women are being vetted very carefully,” he told White House reporters as he departed for an Ohio trip.
The pick will be announced “probably Saturday, but Friday or Saturday.”
He repeated his belief the Senate should act before Election Day.
“I’d much rather have a vote before the election, because there’s a lot of work to be done and I’d much rather have it,” Mr. Trump said. “There’s a great deal of time before the election. That’ll be up to Mitch in the Senate. I think it sends a good signal. It’s solidarity and lots of other things. I’m just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So I would rather see it before the election.”
Mr. Trump also warned Senate Republicans not to get cold feet about confirming a justice so close to Nov. 3, when voters will have their say.
“I think their voters, the people that voted for them, put them there because of a certain ideology or a certain feel, and they don’t want to have somebody do that. I think it’s very bad if they do that,” Mr. Trump said.
Two names that have been mentioned as top contenders for the vacancy are Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Barbara Lagoa of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Trump said he “may” visit Judge Lagoa on an upcoming trip to Miami.
“She has a lot of support,” the president said. “I don’t know her but I hear she’s outstanding.”
