Trump’s Game Plan: Tapping Personal Appellate Judges for Supreme Court Vacancies

Experts predict Trump will tap his own appellate judges for Supreme Court in the event of a retirement With the recent passing of long-serving Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, speculation abounds about who will replace her on the nation’s highest court. President Donald Trump has the opportunity to shape the Supreme Court for years to come, and experts predict that he may turn to his own appointed appellate judges to fill any vacancy that arises. Trump’s legacy in terms of judicial appointments is already significant, with a total of 53 appellate judges confirmed during his first term in office. These individuals were carefully selected for their conservative leanings and commitment to interpreting the law as written, rather than legislating from the bench. Given Trump’s track record of appointing judges who align with his own views, it stands to reason that he would look to his own pool of appellate judges to fill a potential Supreme Court vacancy. One name that has been frequently mentioned in connection with a Supreme Court nomination is Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Barrett, a former clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, has been praised by conservatives for her originalist approach to interpreting the Constitution. Trump appointed Barrett to the appellate court in 2017, and she has since garnered a reputation as a principled and thoughtful jurist. Another potential candidate for a Supreme Court nomination is Judge Amul Thapar of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Thapar, the first South Asian federal judge in U.S. history, has been hailed for his commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting individual liberties. Prior to his appointment to the appellate court by Trump in 2017, Thapar served as a federal district judge in Kentucky, where he gained a reputation for his fairness and impartiality. In addition to Barrett and Thapar, Trump has a wealth of other appellate judges who could be considered for a Supreme Court nomination. Judges like Joan Larsen of the Sixth Circuit, Don Willett of the Fifth Circuit, and Allison Jones Rushing of the Fourth Circuit all have impressive judicial records and would likely be well-received by conservative legal circles. Of course, the ultimate decision on a Supreme Court nomination will rest with the President himself. Trump has made it clear that he values judges who will interpret the law faithfully and adhere to the principles of the Constitution. By tapping his own appointed appellate judges for a potential Supreme Court vacancy, Trump can continue to shape the federal judiciary in his own image and leave a lasting legacy on the nation’s highest court.