ia ▁on ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁the ▁ 1 1 ▁Republican ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁signed ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Mc Con nell ▁stating ▁their ▁intention ▁to ▁with hold ▁consent ▁on ▁any ▁nom ine e ▁made ▁by ▁President ▁Ob ama , ▁and ▁that ▁no ▁hear ings ▁would ▁occur ▁until ▁after ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁new ▁president ▁took ▁office . ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Ob ama ▁nominated ▁then - ch ief ▁judge ▁M err ick ▁Gar land ▁( of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁Circ uit ), ▁to ▁replace ▁S cal ia . ▁After ▁Gar land ' s ▁nom ination , ▁Mc Con nell ▁re iter ated ▁his ▁position ▁that ▁the ▁Senate ▁would ▁not ▁consider ▁any ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁nom ination ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁president ▁took ▁office . ▁Gar land ' s ▁nom ination ▁exp ired ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 1 4 th ▁Senate ▁having ▁taken ▁no ▁action ▁on ▁the ▁nom ination . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁president ial ▁campaign , ▁while ▁Gar land ▁remained ▁before ▁the ▁Senate , ▁Trump ▁released ▁two ▁lists ▁of ▁potential ▁nom ine es . ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁he ▁released ▁a ▁short ▁list ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁jud ges ▁for ▁nom ination ▁to