Trump "very close" to the Supreme Court's decision, but can wait until the last hour

million. Trump dotted badociates with questions about Judge Hardiman. Some of the president's relatives said they found Hardiman's personal story, offered by the judge's supporters, convincing. Hardiman J. was the first member of his family to graduate from college and helped pay for his education by driving a taxi.

Judge Hardiman also had significant support within the Trump family. He served with Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, Mr. Trump's sister, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia. Judge Barry recommended Judge Hardiman to his brother last year as a good choice for the court, according to two people close to Mr. Trump.

The appointment of Judge Hardiman would also bring some educational diversity to a Supreme Court flooded with Ivy League degrees. Judge Hardiman attended the Law Center of the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University.

But Mr. Trump also said positive things to the badociates about Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a convinced social conservative. He spent part of the day Sunday at his club with Fox News host Sean Hannity, who favors Judge Barrett, said people who knew their meeting well.

Trump also continued to discuss Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, a former Secretary of Staff of George W. Bush, who was a White House Council favorite, Donald F. McGahn II, and who had been considered the favorite last week. [19659002] The only judge among the four that the president seemed to lose much of his interest was Raymond M. Kethledge. People close to the process said the president had found it friendly but relatively boring. And some Conservatives, whose support guided Mr. Trump's thoughts on the courts, expressed concern over Justice Kethledge on issues like immigration, some comparing him to Judge David H. Souter, appointed by the first president George Bush and disappointed some Republicans with his votes.

Yet, it was said that Mr. Trump was fighting to overtake Judge Kavanaugh's report to Bush's family. Mr. Trump saved Jeb Bush at the 2016 primary, and the president remained suspicious about the Bush.