WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announces the nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
UPDATE: Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court
Watch the announcement live here on ClickOnDetroit at 9 p.m. EST
Trump has decided his court nominee; big reveal tonight
-- AP
By Catherine Lucry, AP
President Donald Trump has decided on his Supreme Court nominee, a person with knowledge of the situation revealed Monday, hours before a prime-time TV announcement that will ignite a fierce confirmation battle.
As others speculated about his nomination to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, Trump had little to say about his choice, who could cement a conservative majority on the court for years to come. But he did make his pick, according to a person who was not authorized to speak publicly and commented only on condition of anonymity.
After a weekend deliberating with aides and calling allies for advice, he tweeted, “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.”
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 materials on all four, who were part of a longer list of 25 names vetted by conservative groups.
While the president has been pondering his pick, aides have been preparing for a tough confirmation fight. The White House said Monday that former Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona would guide the nominee through the Senate confirmation process.