President Trump Picks Prof. Amy Coney Barret for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of U. S.

President Trump on Saturday announced he has chosen Professor Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- a move that could significantly shift the nation's highest court to the right if she's confirmed by the Senate.

“Today it is my honor to nominate one of our nation's most brilliant and gifted legal minds to the Supreme Court," Trump said in the Rose Garden alongside Barrett. "She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution -- Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”
Barrett, a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, had been considered by Trump for the vacancy left by the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2018. Trump eventually chose now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh instead, but a source told that she had been at the front of his mind to fill a vacancy by Ginsburg.

Speaking at the White House, Barrett said she understood that "this is a momentous decision for a president and if the Senate does me the honor of confirming me, I pledge to discharge the responsibilities of this job to the very best of my ability."

"I love the United States and I love the United States Constitution. I am truly humbled by the prospect of serving on the Supreme Court," she said.

Both Trump and Barrett paid tribute to Ginsburg, with Trump describing her as a "legal giant and a pioneer for women."

Ginsburg, a consistent vote on the court’s liberal wing, died last week at 87. The announcement sets up what is likely to be a fierce confirmation battle as Republicans attempt to confirm Barrett before the election on Nov. 3.