Trump urges Republicans to confirm new Supreme Court nominee 'without delay'

The number of justices on the bench reduced to eight following the passing of Ginsburg, among whom only three are liberals. Trump is expected to swing the bench further to the right with a new appointee.

While Republicans in the Senate changed the rules so that the confirmation of a Supreme Court justice now needs 51 votes rather than a supermajority, the slight 53-47 majority they hold in the Senate means they can only afford a maximum of three defections, a scenario where Vice President Mike Pence's tie-breaking vote will be needed to seat the new candidate.