Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court

President Trump nominated appeals court judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court Monday night to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, ending a days-long guessing game that began the moment Kennedy announced his retirement and setting the stage for a grueling confirmation fight. 

In televised remarks from the East Room of the White House, the president praised what he called Kavanaugh's "impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law."

"There is no one in America more qualified for this position, and no one more deserving," Trump said.

Kavanaugh had been considered a front-runner ever since Kennedy's June 27 retirement announcement. Trump conducted a swift and decisive vetting process, eager to push for confirmation of his second Supreme Court pick in less than two years.

Though the president said Monday his nominee deserves "robust bipartisan support," many Democratic lawmakers had vowed even before the announcement to oppose Trump's choice. In his own remarks, Kavanaugh looked ahead to what's expected to be a bruising confirmation fight: "I will tell each senator that I revere the Constitution. I believe that an independent judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic.

"If confirmed by the Senate, I will keep an open mind in every case, and I will always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American rule of law." 

He said a judge "must interpret the law, not make the law."