Trump says he will immediately begin search for Kennedy replacement

President Trump on Wednesday said he will “immediately” begin searching for a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Trump said Kennedy’s replacement will come from a list of 25 potential justices he first released during his 2016 presidential campaign. 

“It will be somebody from that list,” Trump told reporters at the White House during a meeting with the president of Portugal. 

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The president said Kennedy had been a “great justice” and a “spectacular man” who “display[ed] great vision” and “tremendous heart,” adding he hopes “to pick someone just as outstanding.”

With Kennedy’s departure, Trump has the chance to solidify conservative control of the nation’s highest court.

Kennedy’s replacement will be Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee.

The president’s first pick, Neil Gorsuch, was confirmed early last year to replace the late conservative stalwart Antonin Scalia. That seat came open during former President Obama’s final year in office, but Senate Republicans blocked his nominee, Merrick Garland. 

Kennedy, who was appointed by President Reagan, has served as a key swing vote on cases dealing with abortion rights, immigration, LGBT rights, guns and campaign finance laws.