Trump 'very disappointed' in Kavanaugh votes: 'Where would he be without me?'
Former President Trump told the author of a new book that he is “very disappointed” in votes from Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whom Trump nominated to the bench in July 2018.
“I don’t want anything ... but I am very disappointed in him, in his rulings,” Trump told author Michael Wolff for “Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency,” which is set to be released on July 27.
Axios on Tuesday published excerpts from Wolff’s interview with Trump, who said Kavanaugh “hasn’t had the courage you need to be a great justice.”
“I can’t even believe what's happening. I'm very disappointed in Kavanaugh. I just told you something I haven’t told a lot of people. In retrospect, he just hasn't had the courage you need to be a great justice. I’m basing this on more than just the election,” Trump continued in his conversation with Wolff.
“There were so many others I could have appointed, and everyone wanted me to,” Trump added.
Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation process was embroiled in scandal and controversy after a number of women accused him of sexual assault.
Trump, however, stood by Kavanaugh throughout his hearings.
“Practically every senator called me ... and said, 'Cut him loose, sir, cut him loose. He’s killing us,' ” Trump reportedly told Wolff.
Trump, however, told the lawmakers, “I can’t do that,” Wolff writes.
“I had plenty of time to pick somebody else ... I went through that thing and fought like hell for Kavanaugh — and I saved his life, and I saved his career. At great expense to myself ... okay? I fought for that guy and kept him,” Trump continued in conversation with Wolff, according to Axios.
“Where would he be without me?” Trump reportedly asked, referring to Kavanaugh, and contended that he “saved his life” because no law firm would have hired him since he was “totally disgraced.”
“I saved his life. He wouldn't even be in a law firm. Who would have had him? Nobody. Totally disgraced. Only I saved him,” the former president told Wolff.
Trump also told Wolff he feels betrayed by all the justices he nominated to the bench, including Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, but Wolff wrote that Trump has “reserved particular bile for Kavanaugh,” Axios noted.
Judges whom Trump elevated to the high court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority, have sided with the liberal bloc on some key issues.