President Donald Trump is finalizing his decision on a nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, with plans to announce his choice on Monday, CNN reported Wednesday.
"He is expected to make up his mind tomorrow or Friday," senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny told host Jim Sciutto.
He noted that Kennedy, 81, who was nominated in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, visited Trump last week to deliver his resignation letter — and the president asked him for suggestions on a potential successor.
"The president asked Justice Kennedy if he had any advice on his successor," Zeleny said. "We don't know what he told him.
"But it is clear that one of the leading contenders, Brett Kavanaugh, was a former associate," he said. "He worked for Justice Kennedy as a law clerk.
"So, certainly, that is one of the reasons among many others he is one of the leading contenders, but the president, of course, will have the final say on this," Zeleny said.
Kavanaugh, 53, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, and Amy Coney Barrett, 46, a federal appellate court judge in Chicago, are the leading contenders for the post, according to news reports.
Trump is expected to announce his nominee on Monday.
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