Appearing on Hugh Hewitt’s show yesterday, Donald Trump was asked to explain who he would look to for advice on hypothetical Supreme Court nominees were he to be elected president. Trump said his sister would not be his advisor, but not much else. You can watch Trump’s appearance and read the transcript below:
HH: Now let me talk to you about a couple of issues, judges. I know your sister, Margaret Trump Barry was a very well respected…
DT: Well, Maryanne. Maryanne. Maryanne.
HH: Yeah, Maryanne.
DT: Yeah.
HH: Very, very well-respected judge.
DT: Right.
HH: She’s senior status now. Who’s going to advise Donald Trump on judges, because there will be three of them who are 80 or older if you become the president.
DT: Yeah.
HH: …on the day you’re sworn in.
DT: Well, it wouldn’t be my sister. We do have different views a little bit, but it wouldn’t be my sister. She’s a very, very highly-respected judge, by the way.
HH: Yes, she is.
DT: …as you know. She’s on the court of appeals, and highly, highly respected. But I think it would be a conflict to be dealing with my sister in that capacity, actually, because of the fact that she’s my sister and she’s on the court. She doesn’t even like getting publicity. And you know, frankly, they did a great story on her recently, and she didn’t want it. She wouldn’t be interviewed for it. But she’s very talented, she was always a great student and very smart, but no, I wouldn’t be, I think it would be a conflict.
HH: So who would give you advice on judges? I’m available.
DT: Well you know, a lot of people, a lot of people, but you know, I, you know, know a lot about that world, the judging world. As an example, Justice Roberts, everybody liked Justice Roberts, turned out to be a disaster because of Obamacare. He could have killed it twice, and he turned out to be a total disaster, so…
HH: I have to speak up for the Chief. I like the Chief, but it’s not a debate, it’s an interview. Let me ask you, then, about…
DT: Well, by the way, I probably would like him also, but he did have a chance to kill Obamacare, and he had two chances, and people were shocked at what he did.
Thomas Valentine is a researcher for the American Principles Project and a junior at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
