Donald Trump slams Democrats for brazenly attacking Amy Coney Barrett because she is a Catholic and insists the question of faith was 'settled 60 years ago with the election of JFK'
Donald Trump called a press briefing Sunday to staunchly defend his Supreme Court Justice pick Amy Coney Barrett after Democrats launched a series of attacks on her alleged inability to be an impartial judge due to her Catholic faith.
'We have noticed some comments made in the media about my incredibly qualified nominee Amy. The New York Times said her religion is not consistent with American values – she's Catholic. That covers a lot of people. That's a very disgraceful thing to say,' Trump told reporters gathered at the White House Sunday evening just a day after he announced his selection.
'I thought, though, on the religious situation with Amy – I thought we settled this 60 years ago with the election of John F. Kennedy,' Trump said referencing the first and only U.S. Catholic president.
Kennedy's nomination at the time was controversial as many Americans held strong anti-Catholic attitudes.
He was able to prevail, however, due to his vocal belief in the separation of church and state and ability to appeal to Catholic voters.
Trump vowed that Barrett's religion would not interfere with her decision making as a Supreme Court Justice – and five of the eight remaining justices are Roman Catholic.
Donald Trump called a press briefing Sunday to defend his Supreme Court pick after Democrats attacked her for her Catholic faith – claiming she might not be able to separate her religion from her duties
'We have noticed some comments made in the media about my incredibly qualified nominee Amy. The New York Times said her religion is not consistent with American values – she's Catholic. That covers a lot of people. That's a very disgraceful thing to say,' Trump said
'I thought, though, on the religious situation with Amy – I thought we settled this 60 years ago with the election of John F. Kennedy,' Trump said during his briefing
Trump invoked the first and only Catholic president to defend Barrett and point to the ridiculousness of Democrats
'But seriously though, they're going after her Catholicism,' Trump lamented. 'I will stand with her, fight with her, and we will make sure these attacks stop. Because they're really – it's unprecedented.'
'They're basically fighting a major religion in our country,' the president said of Democrats. 'This is incredible. Fighting any religion – fighting Catholicism is just incredible.'
Democrats claim Barrett's religion could affect her thoughts on abortion when it comes to the landmark Roe v. Wade case.
Barrett's faith will likely play a role in her forthcoming Judiciary Committee hearings, which Chairman Lindsey Graham said will commence October 12.
The 48-year-old nominee is a member of the People of Praise, a small Catholic group that teaches husbands are the heads of the family.
Members of the group swear a loyalty oath, which some legal scholars have found problematic because they raise questions about a judge's impartiality and independence.
During Barrett's 2017 confirmation hearings for a seat on the Chicago-based 7th Circuit, she testified that while she was a devout Catholic, those views wouldn't bleed into her decisions on the bench.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, famously told Barrett, 'The dogma lives loudly within you.'
Although Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch was raised Cathlic, he is a practicing Episcopalian.
Nearly half of Americans, or 48.9 per cent, are Protestant – and the second largest religion in the country is Catholicism, making up 23 per cent of the population
Not even two percent of the populations are Mormons and only two per cent are Jewish.
Trump nominated Barrett to the vacant Supreme Court seat on Saturday, and was forced one day later to defend his pick and her religion
Barrett was joined by her husband Jesse and their seven children – five biological and two adopted from Haiti – at the announcement Saturday
One per cent of the population of America are Muslim, another 1 per cent are Buddhist and another 1 per cent are Hindu.
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is Jewish, and late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Barrett was nominated to replace, was also Jewish.
She died last Friday due to complications from pancreatic cancer.
Trump officially announced Barrett's nomination on Saturday afternoon during an event in the Rose Garden.
During the president's briefing Saturday he was joined by Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani – both of whom are Catholic.
Trump said the two men were helping him with debate prep, including standing in as Democratic nominee Joe Biden.