Donald Trump has interviewed the 49-year old prominent Indian-American judge Amul Thapar and three others as potential nominees to replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Justice Kennedy (81), announced his retirement from the US Supreme Court last week.
Thapar (49), is among the 25 shortlisted judges Trump could nominate to replace Kennedy.
The four interviewed by Trump for the Supreme Court bench are Amul Thapar, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Raymond Kethledge, The Washington Post reported.
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Neither the White House nor Trump himself revealed the names except for saying that he interviewed four potential Supreme Court nominees.
“I’ll be meeting two or three more and we’ll make a decision on the United States Supreme Court, the new justice,” Trump said, and described the meeting as “very interesting”.
“The decision will be made over the next few days and we’ll be announcing it on 9 July, and I look forward to that. I think the person that is chosen will be outstanding,” Trump said at the White House.
Trump has also appointed Indian-American Raj Shah to work full time on overseeing the communication efforts associated with the nomination.
“Raj Shah will oversee communications, strategy, and messaging coordination with Capitol Hill allies. He will take leave from his role as Principal Deputy Press Secretary to work on the Supreme Court nomination full time,” the White House said.
If nominated and confirmed by Senate, Thapar would replace Kennedy and will be the first Indian-American to be on the bench of the nine-member apex court.
Last year, Trump appointed Thapar, who sits on the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals and a former United States Attorney, for the District of Kentucky and District Judge.
The son of Indian-American immigrants, Thapar is the Nation’s first Article III judge of South Asian descent. He was confirmed by the Senate 52-44.
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