Trump speaking in Bemidji, Minnesota, on Sept. 18. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump said Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "led an amazing life," after he finished a campaign rally in Bemidji, Minnesota, and learned of her death.
What he's saying: "I’m sad to hear,” Trump told the press pool before boarding Air Force One. "She was an amazing woman, whether you agree or not, she was an amazing woman who led an amazing life."
Trump added in a statement: "Today our Nation mourns the loss of a titan of the law. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served more than 27 years as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—notably just the second woman to be appointed to the Court. She was a loving wife to her late husband, Martin, and a dedicated mother to her two children.
- "Renowned for her brilliant mind and her powerful dissents at the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg demonstrated that one can disagree without being disagreeable toward one's colleagues or different points of view.
- "Her opinions, including well-known decisions regarding the legal equality of women and the disabled, have inspired all Americans, and generations of great legal minds.
- "A fighter to the end, Justice Ginsburg battled cancer, and other very long odds, throughout her remarkable life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ginsburg family and their loved ones during this difficult time. May her memory of a great and magnificent blessing to the world."
Why it matters: Republican sources tell Axios that Trump will move within days to nominate his third justice, adding that the Republican base will revolt on Election Day if he does not.
The big picture: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement Friday that Trump’s nominee "will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate."
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday directly quoted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's 2016 comments after the death of Justice Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia: "The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president."