Report: White House preparing 'gingerly' to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had never missed oral arguments during her tenure on the high court until Monday as the court's eldest judge continued to recover from surgery to remove cancerous cells from her left lung.

Now, a new report suggests that the White House is quietly preparing for another Supreme Court appointment given the possibility that the 85-year-old Ginsburg's health could force her to retire.

What are the details?

According to the Daily Caller, "gingerly preparations" are underway in the White House counsel's office in the event that Ginsburg's Supreme Court departure comes sooner than expected.

"Gingerly preparations are underway, not just for Ginsburg but for any SCOTUS retirement," a source "directly involved" in the process told the Daily Caller.

Indeed, another source told the outlet that President Donald Trump's White House and White House counsel Pat Cipollone, remain well-prepared to handle another Supreme Court appointment, given the existing infrastructure inside the West Wing from Trump's first two high court appointments.

More from the Daily Caller:

Both sources said that the White House counsel's office and its conservative legal allies have now been through two successful confirmation processes, and that they have developed an intimate and professional feel for how to run the process again, if necessary.

Trump is particularly proud of his handling of the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh nominations, a source close to the White House said, noting that the president views proper handling of the Supreme Court as a necessary part of maintaining the support of his voters.

When is she coming back?

Unfortunately, Ginsburg missed oral arguments for the second day in a row on Tuesday. It isn't immediately clear when Ginsburg will return to the bench, though Chief Justice John Roberts said Ginsburg will continue to participate in court cases by reading transcripts.

Ginsburg predicted last year that she has at least another five years of service on the court, meaning she might out-serve Trump's presidency.