WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, seizing an unusual early opportunity to put conservatives back in the majority on America's top court.
In a primetime address late Tuesday that was part jurisprudence, part reality show, Trump tapped the 49-year-old appeals court judge from Denver, Colorado.
If confirmed by the Senate, he will fill the seat made vacant by the death of Antonin Scalia nearly a year ago and tilt the balance of the court five-to-four in conservatives' favor.
The elegant, silver-haired jurist with a flair for writing incisive rulings is the youngest nominee in a generation.
His appointment could have a major impact on cases ranging from business regulation to gender rights to gun control.
After unprecedented hyping of the announcement, Trump invited Gorsuch and his wife to emerge dramatically before an audience in the East Room of the White House.
"Here they come. Here they come. So was that a surprise? Was it?" said Trump, ever the showman.
"He could have had any job at any law firm for any amount of money, but what he wanted to do with his career was to be a judge, to write decisions, and to make an impact by upholding our laws and our Constitution," Trump said.
Despite the razzmatazz, Gorsuch was a remarkably orthodox pick for a president who has scythed through norms and precedent during his brief time in office.
Like Scalia, Gorsuch is considered an "originalist" -- guided in his legal thinking by the constitution's original intent and meaning.
Gorsuch says he was on the ski slopes when he learned of his mentor's death last February: "I couldn't see the rest of the way down the mountain for the tears," he remarked in a speech soon after.
For Trump, the selection is payback to evangelical Christian and conservative Republicans who backed his bid for the presidency -- at times reluctantly.
"Millions of voters said this was the single most important issue to them when they voted for me for president," Trump said.
"I am a man of my word. I will do as I say -- something that the American people have been asking for from Washington for a very, very long time."
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