Donald Trump apologises to Kavanaugh for his ‘incredible pain’, says he was ‘proven innocent’
Trump said that the new Supreme Court judge was ‘proven innocent’ while under ‘historic scrutiny’, although a week-long FBI investigation into historical sexual assault claims did not come to any conclusions
US President Donald Trump apologised to Brett Kavanaugh on Monday for the bitter battle over his confirmation to the Supreme Court and declared him “innocent” of the sexual assault allegations that nearly derailed his nomination.
“I want to apologise to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the incredible pain you have been forced to endure,” Trump said during a ceremonial swearing-in at the White House. “You sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent.”
Kavanaugh, acknowledging the “contentious and emotional” fight over his confirmation, said he had “no bitterness” and promised to “always be a team player on the team of nine”.
Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, whom Kavanaugh once clerked for and whose place he has taken on the court, then administered the oath of office with Trump standing by them.
When I decided on Brett, I said he’s flawless. He’s a flawless person
Kavanaugh’s installation cements the strongest Supreme Court conservative majority since the New Deal, delivering on a decades-long ambition of the American right.
It comes just in time to motivate evangelicals and social conservatives to turn out to vote in November elections that will determine control of Congress.
Trump has spent the past few days relishing Kavanaugh’s confirmation, which appeared in doubt as recently as a week ago after three women made sexual assault allegations against him.
At a speech in Florida earlier on Monday, Trump denounced the accusations against his nominee as “a hoax” perpetrated “by people that are evil”.
