US President Donald Trump is set to unveil his Supreme Court nominee on Saturday, barely five weeks out from the November 3 presidential election, with US media reporting that he has chosen conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett for the job.
If the 48-year-old law professor is indeed nominated and confirmed, her appointment would consolidate a conservative majority in the country's top court.
Citing sources close to the process, various media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, said Trump would put forward the 48-year-old judge.
"We are going to be announcing somebody great," the US president said in Virginia on a whirlwind three-state campaign tour Friday.
"Tomorrow [Saturday] I think is going to be a big day!" he added, as the crowd roared with approval.
The president did not name his nominee but earlier said his decision was made. Barrett was "outstanding" he said.
Media reports noted the mercurial Trump could still change his mind before the official announcement, expected at 5 pm (2100 GMT) Saturday.
Democratic opponents, led by presidential candidate Joe Biden, have demanded that Republicans back off on replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- a liberal icon -- until after the November 3 election.
Leaders of the Republican majority in the Senate, which is tasked with confirming Supreme Court nominees, said they have enough support to hold a vote on the nomination either before the election or at worst during the "lame duck" session between the election and the inauguration of the next president in January.
"We will certainly do that this year," Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said.
If Barrett is confirmed, the Supreme Court would have a 6-3 conservative majority, AFP reported.
Barrett was only appointed to the bench for the first time in 2017. A deeply conservative Catholic, she is considered hostile to abortion rights -- a key issue for many Republicans.
The left-leaning government watchdog group Accountable US was unimpressed with the reported choice. "Barrett has proven time and again that protecting businesses -- not people -- is her top priority," said group president Kyle Herrig.
In 2018, the mother of seven was on the shortlist presented by Trump for a seat vacated by the retirement of justice Anthony Kennedy, a position ultimately filled by Brett Kavanaugh after a ferocious confirmation battle.
