President is under pressure from conservatives to pick a reliably right-wing Supreme Court justice who would vote to overturn abortion rights
Anthony Kennedy's retirement gives Trump his second pick in two years
He said Friday that he doesn't plan to ask candidates about the Roe v. Wade case
Anti-abortion leader says that's reasonable 'because they won’t answer him'
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that his list of 25 has been winnowed down to just 5, including 2 women
He promised a July 9 announcement of his choice and said he might be interviewing candidates this weekend at his New Jersey golf resort
Trump is likely to pick a young jurist who can shape the high court and push it to the right for a quarter-century
Donald Trump said Friday that he has narrowed his list of potential Supreme Court nominees to just a handful of candidates including two women. But he's not about to ask them about their leanings on abortion.
'I've got it narrowed to about five,' he told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding a promise to make his final choice public on July 9.
'I'll be anouncing it the Monday after the Fourth of July,' Trump said. 'I like them all.'
'We've got great people ... It is a group of highly talented, very brilliant, mostly conservative judges,' the president said, without tipping his hand by dropping any names.
'Outside of war and peace, of course, the most important decision you make is the selection of a Supreme Court judge, if you get it,' he told the reporters. 'As you know, there are many presidents who never get a choice.'
Trump added that that he could interview one or two finalists this weekend at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey. 'It is exciting,' he said.
The president is mostly interested in appointing someone young, according to a White House aide, so the new conservative justice can shape the court for at least a quarter-century.
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