Supreme Court nomination
Consideration is underway for President-Elect Trump to nominate a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court, with a decision expected to be made privately by early January and announced publicly around Inauguration Day on January 20.
In the final presidential debate, Trump state his pledge clearly and emphatically:
Trump: ... The justices that I am going to appoint will be pro-life. ... I am pro-life and I will be appointing pro-life judges, I would think that would go back to the individual states.
...
Wallace: But what I'm asking you, do you want to see the court overturn it? You just said you want to see the court protect the second amendment, do you want to see the court overturn [Roe v. Wade]
Trump: If we put another two or perhaps three justices on, that is really what will happen. That will happen automatically in my opinion. Because I am putting pro-life justices on the court. I will say this. It will go back to the states and the states will then make a determination.
On December 14, Trump Chief of Staff Reince Priebus announced as follows:
- “I think that’s going to be something that we’re going to start after the new year,” Priebus said. “And certainly by the time we get to inauguration, either shortly before or shortly thereafter, we’ll reveal the name of who our nominee will be.”
