United States President Donald Trump will announce his choice to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
"I have made my decision on who I will nominate for The United States Supreme Court. It will be announced live on Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. (W.H.)," the President tweeted.
Quoting Trump's aide, CNN reports that the decision to announce his Supreme Court nominee in prime time was Trump's idea, and taken in an attempt to draw a larger audience on Tuesday evening, than he would receive during the day.
After the death of late Justice Antonin Scalia, President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland, but the Republican majority prevented his confirmation. This move maintained the vacancy on the court -- leaving a space open for Trump to make his pick.
Trump has been teasing his nomination announcement during his first week in office and has reportedly hinted that he had already made his pick last week.
Trump finished with interviews last week, two people close to the process say, and is believed to have narrowed his pick down to three jurists: Neil Gorsuch, who sits on the federal appeals court in Denver; William H. Pryor Jr., who sits on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and Thomas Hardiman of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.
Hardiman emerged as the leading contender, two people close to the process said, but they cautioned that Trump could still change his mind and deliver a surprise.