President Trump on Tuesday spoke to another three possible Supreme Court nominees, bringing the total number to seven.
White House spokesman Raj Shah disclosed the conversations in a brief statement but did not provide any further details, such as the names of those who spoke with Trump.
The discussions are the latest sign the White House is moving aggressively to select a replacement for the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.
The president interviewed four candidates on Monday and has said he plans to reveal his choice on July 9. {mosads}
One of the candidates Trump spoke to is Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R), who has openly acknowledged he would accept an appointment to the high court. But Lee is not believed to be on Trump’s short list.
The president teased Lee over his public statements about the nomination.
“I actually saw him on television last night, where he said he would love the job. You know, usually, they don’t say that,” Trump told reporters last Friday, before calling Lee “very talented” and “very smart.”
Trump said late last week he had narrowed his short list of candidates to five, including two women.
On Monday, the president reportedly interviewed federal appeals court judges Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Amul Thapar and Raymond Kethledge.
The president has said he will select the nominee from a previously released list of 25 potential nominees that was crafted in coordination with outside conservative allies.
–Updated at 5:10 p.m.