President Donald Trump spoke briefly to reporters after the news broke of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement, saying that the search for his replacement will “begin immediately” and that he will choose someone from the “list of 25 people” that he used to pick Justice Neil Gorsuch. “Hopefully we will pick someone who is just as outstanding,” Trump said, according to the White House pool report. Trump also said Kennedy “displayed great vision” and “tremendous heart.” Kennedy was often seen as a swing vote, and his departure will allow Trump to solidify a conservative majority on the court—which could shape U.S. law for years to come. The 81-year-old justice is retiring after 30 years on the bench.
