WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump deliberated Sunday about his Supreme Court nominee, appearing to favor different finalists before a planned Monday night announcement that he views as crucial to his legacy.
Trump was undecided over the weekend and was making calls Sunday to outside advisers and asking questions about a quartet of finalists: federal judges Brett Kavanaugh, Raymond Kethledge, Thomas Hardiman and Amy Coney Barrett, people familiar with the search process said. If confirmed by the Senate, Trump’s pick could tip the court’s yearslong balance firmly toward conservatives on issues including executive power, abortion and gun rights.
As the day wore on, Trump zeroed in on different aspects each finalist brought to the equation, and his own advisers weren’t certain where he would land, noting a final decision could come just hours before Monday’s televised announcement, set for 9 p.m. EDT. “It’s a jump ball,” said one person familiar with the search.
“We are close to making a decision,” Trump told reporters Sunday afternoon as he prepared to return to Washington from a weekend at his New Jersey golf club. “Let’s just say it’s the four people. Every one, you can’t go wrong. I’ll be deciding tonight or tomorrow sometime by 12 o’clock, and we’re all going to be meeting at 9 o’clock,” he said.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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