Donald Trump led a transformation of the Supreme Court that ushered in a conservative supermajority but soon he will confront an emboldened Democratic-led Senate that is preparing to play hardball on his judicial nominations.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is likely to return as majority leader next year, promised in an interview with The Associated Press that Democrats will prevent Trump from installing a “right-winger” on the Supreme Court and that they are “not going to allow any crappy nominees” elsewhere in the federal judiciary or in Trump’s Cabinet.
Democrats will hold at least 54 seats next year and as many as 56 depending on final results in Mississippi and Alaska, giving them a significant majority to block Trump’s nominees or just ignore them outright.
Thomas seems to care more about being the longest seated justice than about the wider right wing political project. Alito wants to retire, I think, so he might try to bolt for the exit.
That being said, I don’t think Trump cares all that much, and the people around him who do care will be too busy trying to hold his coalition together to want to spend political capital on a rushed Supreme Court appointment.