President Donald Trump delivered a heartfelt apology on behalf of the nation to the family of Justice Brett Kavanaugh after a brutal confirmation battle, ahead of his swearing in at the White House Monday evening.

“I would like to begin tonight’s proceeding differently than perhaps any other event of such magnitude. On behalf of the nation, I want to apologize to Brett and the entire Kavanaugh family for the terrible pain and suffering you have been forced to endure,” Trump said, adding, “those who stepped forward to serve our country deserve a fair and dignified evaluation. Not a campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception. What happened to the Kavanaugh family violates every notion of fairness, decency and due process.”

The president turned to Kavanaugh and flatly declared “I must state that you, sir, under historic scrutiny were proven innocent.”

Kavanaugh faced decades old allegations of sexual assault by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford after the first phase of his confirmation hearings were over. Ford’s allegations ignited a maelstrom of allegations against Kavanaugh which were eventually investigated by the FBI ahead of a narrow Senate vote.

Ultimately the FBI was not able to corroborate Ford’s allegation or any other. He was confirmed by a vote of 50-48 by the U.S. Senate Saturday.