Victory for Trump in Supreme Court battle
US President Donald Trump's controversial nominee for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, has been sworn in following weeks of rancorous debate. The Senate earlier backed his nomination by 50 votes to 48. Kavanaugh had been embroiled in a bitter battle to stave off claims of sexual assault, which he denies.
But after an 11th-hour investigation by the FBI into the allegations, enough wavering senators decided to support the nomination. His confirmation hands Trump a political victory ahead of key mid-term elections in November. Before the vote, hundreds of people protested against Kavanaugh's nomination at the US Capitol in Washington.
During the vote, other protesters shouted shame from the public gallery and Vice-President Mike Pence had to call for order to be restored. Kavanaugh's appointment is for life and he will strengthen conservative control of the nine-judge court, which has the final say on US law.
The 53 year old was sworn in on Saturday evening in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the constitutional oath and retired justice Anthony Kennedy - whom Kava-naugh is replacing - administered the judicial oath.
Protesters had gathered outside the court and at one point some ran up the steps and banged on its ornate doors. Other demonstrators climbed on the nearby statue of justice. Later he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, saying Kavanaugh had withstood a horrible attack by the Democrats and that women were outraged at what had happened to the nominee.
Trump also said he was 100% certain that the woman who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, Christine Blasey Ford, had named the wrong person.
The upper house is split 51-49 in favor of the Republicans and the vote was largely along party lines. In the end, there was indeed a two-vote margin, the closest nomination vote since 1881.
