Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, and President Trump wasted no time: The process to replace Kennedy on the high court will "begin immediately," the POTUS told reporters, according to USA Today. Trump said he will review an existing list of candidates that was developed when he filled Antonin Scalia's seat, ultimately appointing Neil Gorsuch. "It will be somebody from that list," which was put together with help from conservative legal scholars, Trump said. The president's opportunity for a second Supreme Court pick means that he, along with the Republican-controlled Senate, will be able to replace the moderate Kennedy—the court's swing vote, a Reagan appointee who often sided with the more liberal justices—with a staunch conservative. "The shift will transform the Court for decades to come," declares the Daily Beast. More:
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also spoke out quickly: "The Senate stands ready to fulfill its constitutional role by providing advice and consent on President Trump's nominee to fill this vacancy. We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy's successor this fall," he said, per NPR.