History of Donald Trump Supreme Court candidates in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 11, 2025

During his presidency, Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Gorsuch, nominated in 2017 to fill the seat vacated by Antonin Scalia, is known for his originalist and textualist approach to constitutional interpretation. Kavanaugh, confirmed in 2018 after a contentious confirmation process, also adheres to conservative legal principles. Barrett, nominated in 2020 following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, further solidified the conservative majority on the Court. All three appointments were considered significant wins for conservatives and reshaped the ideological balance of the Supreme Court.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1933: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Birth

In 1933, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born. She would later become a Supreme Court Justice and a key figure in the court's liberal wing until her death in 2020.

1936: Anthony Kennedy's birth

In 1936, Anthony Kennedy was born. He became a Supreme Court Justice and often acted as a swing vote, influencing decisions on social issues.

1938: Stephen Breyer's birth

In 1938, Stephen Breyer was born. He would later become a Supreme Court Justice and a prominent member of the court's liberal wing.

1982: Alleged sexual assault by Kavanaugh

In 1982, Brett Kavanaugh allegedly sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when both were teenagers. Ford came forward with her accusation in September 2018 during Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination process.

February 13, 2016: Antonin Scalia died

On February 13, 2016, Associate Justice Antonin Scalia died while vacationing at Cibolo Creek Ranch near Marfa, Texas. His death created a Supreme Court vacancy during President Barack Obama's final year in office.

February 2016: Death of Antonin Scalia

In February 2016, Associate Justice Antonin Scalia passed away, which created a vacancy on the Supreme Court. This vacancy became a point of contention between the Republican-controlled Senate and then-President Barack Obama.

March 16, 2016: Obama nominated Merrick Garland

On March 16, 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland, then-chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to replace the deceased Justice Antonin Scalia. The Republican-controlled Senate, however, refused to consider the nomination.

May 18, 2016: Trump released short list of 11 judges

On May 18, 2016, during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump released a short list of 11 judges who he would consider for nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Antonin Scalia's death.

September 23, 2016: Trump released second list of possible nominees

On September 23, 2016, Donald Trump released a second list of 10 possible nominees for the Supreme Court during his presidential campaign. This list included three minorities, and both lists were assembled by lawyers associated with the Federalist Society and The Heritage Foundation.

2016: Trump campaign in 2016

During the 2016 campaign, Trump released a list of potential Supreme Court nominees.

2016: Trump released lists of potential nominees

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump released two lists of potential nominees for the Supreme Court. These lists aimed to appeal to conservative voters and signal his judicial philosophy.

2016: Trump campaign revealed potential nominees

In 2016, the Trump campaign revealed lists of potential nominees for Supreme Court appointments. These lists were part of Trump's strategy to appeal to conservative voters during the presidential election.

January 3, 2017: Garland's nomination expired

On January 3, 2017, Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court officially expired without the Senate taking any action on it. This occurred as the new presidential term was about to begin.

January 2017: Trump began his term with a Supreme Court vacancy

In January 2017, Donald Trump began his presidency with a pending Supreme Court vacancy due to the February 2016 death of Justice Antonin Scalia. This presented an immediate opportunity for Trump to shape the court.

January 20, 2017: Trump took office as president

On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump, a Republican, assumed the presidency of the United States after winning the 2016 presidential election. Upon taking office, he immediately faced a vacancy on the Supreme Court due to the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016.

April 7, 2017: Gorsuch confirmed by Senate

On April 7, 2017, Neil Gorsuch was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 54-45. He received votes from 51 Republicans and 3 Democrats, paving the way for his appointment to the Supreme Court.

April 2017: Gorsuch confirmed

In April 2017, Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court, filling the vacancy left by Antonin Scalia's death. This marked Trump's first successful nomination to the Supreme Court.

May 2017: Trump said he would use the same list

In May 2017, President Trump stated that he would select his next Supreme Court nominee from the same list he used to choose Gorsuch. This list comprised the 21 names given on either of the two lists he released during the 2016 campaign.

November 2017: Additional names added to potential nominees list

In November 2017, President Trump added five more names to the previously released lists of potential Supreme Court nominees. These additions expanded the pool of candidates for future vacancies.

November 17, 2017: White House released revised list

On November 17, 2017, the White House released a revised list of individuals President Trump identified as potential nominees for Supreme Court appointments. This list was an update to the lists released during the 2016 campaign.

2017: Senate Republicans applied 'nuclear option'

In 2017, Senate Republicans implemented a rule change, applying the "nuclear option" to Supreme Court nominees. This allowed nominations to proceed with a simple majority vote, rather than the historical requirement of a three-fifths supermajority.

June 2018: Justice Kennedy announced his retirement

In June 2018, Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the Supreme Court, creating a second vacancy during Trump's presidency. This allowed Trump to nominate another conservative justice.

June 27, 2018: Justice Kennedy announced his retirement

On June 27, 2018, Justice Anthony Kennedy officially announced his retirement from the Supreme Court. This announcement created a new vacancy and an opportunity for President Trump to nominate another justice.

July 10, 2018: Kavanaugh's nomination sent to the Senate

On July 10, 2018, Brett Kavanaugh's nomination was officially sent to the Senate for consideration. This marked the formal beginning of the Senate's process of evaluating his qualifications to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.

July 2018: Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh

In early July 2018, President Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. This nomination was met with significant controversy and a contentious confirmation process.

September 16, 2018: Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault

On September 16, 2018, Christine Blasey Ford accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in 1982 when they were both teenagers. This accusation delayed Kavanaugh's scheduled confirmation vote and led to further investigation.

October 6, 2018: Kavanaugh confirmed

On October 6, 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice. This followed Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement in June 2018, which created the vacancy. Kavanaugh's confirmation process was controversial, and occurred on the same day as the vote.

September 9, 2020: Fourth list released

On September 9, 2020, a fourth list of potential Supreme Court nominees was released.

September 18, 2020: Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

On September 18, 2020, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, creating a vacancy on the Supreme Court. This led to President Trump nominating Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement.

September 25, 2020: Trump announced intent to nominate Amy Coney Barrett

On September 25, 2020, it was announced that President Trump intended to nominate Amy Coney Barrett as the successor to Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

September 26, 2020: Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett

On September 26, 2020, President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This nomination set the stage for a contentious confirmation process.

October 26, 2020: Barrett confirmed by Senate

On October 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed by the Senate with a vote of 52-48 to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. This filled the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

2024: Trump's possible future Supreme Court appointments

Following a hypothetical reelection of Donald Trump to a second term in 2024, it was speculated that he would likely have the opportunity to appoint several more Supreme Court justices. Potential outgoing justices mentioned were Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. If Trump were to appoint the successors to Thomas and Alito, he would be the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to personally appoint a majority of the Supreme Court.