Senator Ted Cruz has firmly rejected the idea that he might be nominated to the US Supreme Court by President Donald Trump, telling a podcast interview his answer would be "not just no, but hell no." Speaking on Sean Hannity's podcast, the Texas Republican said he would rather continue his political career than take a seat on the bench, adding that he holds the institution in high regard but does not wish to join it. The remarks matter because Trump has previously floated Cruz's name for the court, and speculation about future vacancies continues to circulate in Washington.

Cruz, a Princeton and Harvard Law graduate who clerked for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist and served as Texas solicitor general from 2003 to 2008, argued nine cases before the Supreme Court before entering the Senate in 2013. He explained that a "principled federal judge" must stay out of politics and policy fights, a role he does not want. Cruz, who was reportedly among 20 names on Trump's 2020 Supreme Court shortlist, also described Trump as a "good friend" despite their rivalry during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.