President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, told a Democratic senator that Trump's tweets about the judiciary are "demoralizing" and "disheartening", CNN reported.
Gorsuch’s comments came in a meeting with Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the network reported. The judge reportedly took exception to Trump calling a federal judge in Seattle a "so-called judge" after he blocked the President's travel ban.
"He said very specifically that they were demoralizing and disheartening and he characterized them very specifically that way," Blumenthal said of Gorsuch.
"I said they were more than disheartening and I said to him that he has an obligation to make his views clear to the American people, so they understand how abhorrent or unacceptable President Trump's attacks on the judiciary are," he added.
Ron Bonjean, who is leading communications for Gorsuch during the confirmation process, confirmed Gorsuch called Trump's tweet about the "so-called judge" "disheartening" and "demoralizing" in his conversation with Blumenthal.
The comments were made by Trump on Twitter last Saturday and referred to Judge James Robart, the Seattle federal judge who issued a temporary restraining order halting Trump’s executive order banning travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries and suspending refugee entry to the U.S.
Trump later criticized Robart a second time, tweeting, “Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!”
Trump's comments could complicate the upcoming hearings for Gorsuch, who is certain to face questions about Trump's tweets from Democrats.
Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNN he brought up examples of Trump's recent rhetoric, including the tweets and the President's criticism of the federal court Wednesday morning before law enforcement officials.
That's when Gorsuch expressed disappointment in Trump's comments, Blumenthal said. "He didn't disagree with me on that point."
Gorsuch, a federal appeals court judge from Colorado, has been meeting with senators on both sides of the aisle since being nominated last week.
Blumenthal was one of three Democratic senators that Gorsuch met with on Wednesday, according to CNN. He also met Democratic Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota -- two states that Trump won in November’s presidential election.