Trump Says He Has List of Supreme Court Candidates

Former president claims multiple vacancies could open up on the nation's highest court.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 4:35pm

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A quiet, cinematic painting of an empty courtroom with a single chair at the center, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of contemplative power and judicial authority.The potential for Supreme Court vacancies under a future Trump presidency raises questions about the court's ideological balance and the lasting impact of presidential appointments.Philadelphia Today

Former President Donald Trump says he has a list of potential Supreme Court nominees that he could put forward if any vacancies open up during his term. Trump appointed three justices during his presidency, the most of any single term since Ronald Reagan. Trump's comments come amid speculation about the health of Justice Samuel Alito, who was recently hospitalized.

Why it matters

The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in shaping the nation's laws and policies, and the ability to appoint justices is a key power of the presidency. Trump's comments suggest he is positioning himself to potentially influence the court's ideological balance if he runs for president again.

The details

In an interview on Fox Business, Trump said there could be 'two, could be three, could be one' Supreme Court vacancies during his potential future term. He noted that Justice Alito, 76, was recently hospitalized after feeling ill during an event, though Trump said Alito is in 'very good physical health.' Trump appointed three justices - Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett - the most of any president since Reagan. Conservative justices now hold a 6-3 majority on the court.

  • On March 20, Justice Samuel Alito was hospitalized after feeling 'ill' during an event in Philadelphia.
  • In September 2020, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87.
  • On October 26, 2020, the Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, just days before the presidential election.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who appointed three Supreme Court justices during his single term in office.

Samuel Alito

A 76-year-old Supreme Court justice who was recently hospitalized after feeling ill, though Trump said he is in 'very good physical health.'

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

A former Supreme Court justice who died in September 2020 at the age of 87, allowing Trump to appoint her successor, Amy Coney Barrett.

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What they’re saying

“It could be two, could be three, could be one. I don't know. I'm prepared to do it.”

— Donald Trump, Former President

“Ginsburg could not do it and she really hurt herself within the Democrat Party. People are very angry at her because I got to appoint people instead of Biden. She decided that she was going to live forever and about two minutes after the election, she went out and I got to appoint somebody.”

— Donald Trump, Former President

What’s next

If any Supreme Court vacancies open up during a potential future Trump presidency, the former president says he is prepared to nominate new justices to fill those seats.

The takeaway

Trump's comments suggest he is positioning himself to potentially influence the ideological balance of the Supreme Court if he runs for president again, a prospect that is likely to stoke further political divisions in the country.