Donald Trump nominates justice Neil Gorsuch for US Supreme Court

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated conservative judge Neil Gorsuch for a lifetime job on the US Supreme Court. Mr Gorsuch is the youngest nominee to the nation’s highest court in more than 25 years, and he could influence the direction of the court for decades.

“I am proud to announce the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for Justice of the Supreme Court,” the president said in a statement.

He is considered a conservative intellectual, known for backing religious rights, and is seen as very much in the mould of Scalia, a leading conservative voice on the court for decades. His nomination has filled the vacancy caused by the death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016.