President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that Barbara Lagoa and Amy Coney Barrett are on his Supreme Court (SCOTUS) shortlist.
He said Barrett, a judge for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, is “certainly one of the candidates” when asked by reporters if Barrett is on the list.
The president said that there are five women being vetted and affirmed he will announce his pick on Friday or Saturday.
Trump also appeared to suggest Lagoa, the U.S. circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, is one of the candidates in a leading position on the list.
He said he will pick someone “outstanding” from the five women.
“We’ll pick somebody that’s outstanding, very qualified. They’re all qualified, but somebody that is outstanding,” he said. “They’re all outstanding, but I have one or two that I have in mind.”
He told reporters later that he heard Lagoa is outstanding.
“She’s highly thought of and has got a lot of support. You know, a lot of people—I’m getting a lot of phone calls from a lot of people. She has a lot of support. I don’t know her, but I hear she’s outstanding. And she’s one of the people we’re looking at,” he said.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment.
Trump said he prefers the Senate vote on his SCOTUS nominee before the November election, but is also confident his nominee will be confirmed even if the vote is scheduled for after the election.
