Psaki Says Biden Will Keep His Promise To Put A Black Woman On The Supreme Court

White House press secretary Jen Psaki Wednesday affirmed President Biden’s vow to nominate a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, replacing retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

“The president has stated and reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court and certainly stands by that,” Psaki said during the daily press briefing. Psaki said the president “stands by” his remarks.

During a February 2020 Democratic debate, Biden promised that he would nominate a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

“We talked about the Supreme Court — I’m looking forward to making sure there’s a Black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure we in fact get everyone represented,” Biden said at that time.

While Psaki said that Biden would keep his commitment to appoint a Black woman, she generally refused to comment on Breyer’s retirement, given that Breyer had not made the announcement himself.

Asked if there is “any scenario in which the president would select” Harris to serve on the Supreme Court, Psaki said, “I’m not going to speak to any considerations, preparations, lists.” But, she noted, “The president has every intention, as he has said before, of running for reelection and for running for reelection with Vice President Harris on the ticket as his partner.”

“As we’ve stated earlier, and as you heard the president say, there is a long history of Supreme Court justices determining when they may retire, if they retire, and announcing that,” she added. “That remains the case today.”

Breyer, 83, has been the subject of much speculation concerning his retirement. Liberal activists were calling for him to retire not long after Biden was inaugurated. Sources close to him, say that Breyer made the decision on his own terms and was not forced out.