Trump reportedly considered yanking Gorsuch's nomination

Neil Gorsuch and Donald Trump.
(Image credit: Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

One of the few big things to go President Trump's way this year was conservative Neil Gorsuch becoming a Supreme Court justice, but an errant thank you note and words said in private nearly derailed his nomination.

Several people told The Washington Post that earlier this year, Trump was infuriated by critical comments Gorsuch made about him to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and didn't think Gorsuch was sufficiently grateful or particularly loyal, telling advisers he wanted to rescind the nomination. One person shared with the Post that Trump told House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that Gorsuch was "probably going to end up being a liberal like the rest of them. You never know with these guys." McConnell, who made sure the seat remained open by refusing to hold a hearing for former President Barack Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, told Trump not to give up on Gorsuch.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.