President-elect Trump is expected to adhere to his established judicial philosophies when considering potential Supreme Court nominees in the event of a justice's retirement, according to experts. During his first term, Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices, all of whom were under 55 years old at the time of their appointments. Additionally, he appointed over 50 federal appellate judges.
There have been calls from politicians and media figures for older justices, such as Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, to step down in anticipation of a Trump presidency. However, conservative legal activist Leonard Leo criticized such calls, emphasizing that justices Thomas and Alito deserve respect for their service to the country and the Constitution.
If any justices were to retire, Trump could potentially strengthen the conservative majority by appointing younger justices. Some experts speculate about the retirement of Justice Thomas, while noting that Justices Sotomayor and Kagan are unlikely to retire soon.
Should retirements occur, Trump is likely to consider appointing judges he previously nominated to the appellate courts. Judges James C. Ho and Stuart Kyle Duncan are mentioned as potential nominees to the Supreme Court from the Fifth Circuit, where six of the active judges were appointed by Trump.
In preparation for his first term in 2016, Trump released a list of potential Supreme Court nominees, which was later expanded. This list reassured Republicans concerned about his ability to appoint conservative justices. However, experts believe Trump may not release an updated list this time, as his track record of appointing conservative judges speaks for itself.
