President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE has held a meeting with Judge William Pryor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, viewed as a leading candidate for the Supreme Court.

Pryor, a former Alabama Attorney General, met with Trump in New York on Saturday, The Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the meeting.

Many top conservative figures have been praising the Alabama judge and pushing Trump to nominate him for the seat vacated by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died nearly a year ago.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pryor has been strongly opposed by the Democrats in the past who repeatedly filibustered his nomination to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals a decade ago.

The standoff ended only after then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) threatened to strip the opposition of the power to filibuster judicial nominations.

Pryor said Tuesday that he is not planning on attending Trump's inauguration this Friday, according to AL.com.

When asked about why he will not attend the event, the judge did not elaborate or comment on his decision, according to the report.

Trump is expected to make an official announcement about his Supreme Court nominee after his inauguration.