Progressive Supreme Court Justice's Battle with Cancer Startles US Political Circles

Possibility of Entrenchment of Federal Supreme Court Conservatism upon Retirement Due to Illness
Justice States No Plans to Retire
Trump Seeks Opportunity to Shift Court Conservatively

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg
[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The oldest progressive justice of the U.S. Supreme Court has announced that she is battling cancer. This issue has drawn significant attention from the U.S. political sphere as it could affect the composition of the Supreme Court, which has recently issued rulings leaning toward progressivism, contrary to the hopes of President Donald Trump.

According to U.S. media on the 17th (local time), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the oldest justice of the Supreme Court and known as an 'icon of progressivism,' revealed that her cancer has recurred and she is undergoing treatment. Despite her illness, she expressed her intention to continue performing her duties.

Justice Ginsburg stated in a press release that she began chemotherapy in May and as of the examination on the 7th of this month, the lesions on her liver have significantly decreased and no new disease has been detected.

Earlier, she was hospitalized on the 13th due to high fever and chills but was discharged, and she also underwent surgery to remove a stent inserted last August to treat a tumor in her pancreas.

Justice Ginsburg said, "I have often said that I will remain a member of the court as long as I can do my job adequately," and added, "I still can do that sufficiently," making it clear that she has no intention of retiring.

U.S. Supreme Court justices hold lifetime appointments. Ginsburg was appointed during former President Bill Clinton's administration in 1993. A sitting president can only nominate a successor when a justice dies or retires. President Trump has pushed for the court's conservative shift and has appointed two conservative justices since taking office, creating a current balance of conservatives 5 to progressives 4, with conservatives holding the majority.

If progressive Justice Ginsburg retires and President Trump nominates a conservative successor, the ideological balance of the Supreme Court could solidify at conservatives 6 to progressives 3 for decades to come. The Supreme Court wields enormous influence over U.S. politics and society. Even if a progressive administration comes to power in the future, policy implementation could be severely hindered if the conservative-majority Supreme Court blocks it.

AFP reported that President Trump has been closely monitoring Ginsburg's health while seeking an opportunity to appoint a new justice to further solidify the court's conservative stance. Aware of this, Ginsburg has maintained her position not to retire despite her advanced age, fearing that her retirement could change the judicial landscape, AFP explained.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.