Brett Kavanaugh confirmation – LIVE: Mitch McConnell hits out at Democrats saying they are ‘untrustworthy’ and wanted ‘media circus’ around Christine Ford
Follow the latest updates on the FBI investigation into claims of sexual assault against the Supreme Court nominee and the political back and forth in Washington
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Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has been delayed as the FBI carry out a "limited" additional background check after Republicans were blind-sided by one of their senators who said his vote for the nominee was dependent on such a probe.
Donald Trump later said it "wouldn't bother me at all" if the scope of the investigation was 'expanded' to include interviews of all three of his nominee's accusers and Mr Kavanaugh himself.
Last week's explosive testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually abused her at a college party in 1982, was hotly contested by Mr Kavanaugh in his counter-testimony.
He appeared angry and had several tense exchanges with committee Democrats, accusing them of doing this as a matter of "revenge" and simply to smear his name.
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In the latest twist in the story, Chad Ludington, a former Yale classmate of Mr Kavanaugh, has accused him of seriously misrepresenting his drinking as a student, calling him a “belligerent and aggressive” drunk.
The FBI's investigation is to last no longer than a week from the day from when the original vote on the nominee was supposed to take place, meaning it will conclude at the end of this week.
It is unclear if the investigation could be expanded should more accusers come forward.
Democrats and Dr Ford are particularly keen on Mark Judge to be interviewed, the man she claimed was present in the room during the alleged assault. Two other women have also accused Mr Kavanaugh - Julie Swetnick and Deborah Ramirez.
"We gave [Dr Ford] tremendous amount of time...which is great, she spoke very well".
"I respect her very much," Mr Trump said.
"I think the FBI should interview anybody they want, within reason," he said.
He also confirmed he thinks Mr Kavanaugh should also be interviewed by the FBI, adding his nominee has had "a rough period of time".
"We would know about this" after nearly 30 years of FBI background investigations, Mr Trump said about Mr Kavanaugh's alleged drinking habits.
"I happen to know some US Senators...who can be very aggressive...I've seen that person in very bad situations," the president said, cryptically, without giving more detail.
"I was surprised about vocal he was about how he liked beer," Mr Trump said about Mr Kavanaugh's repeated statement: "I like beer"
"There are bad reports about everybody," the president said.
He hit out at Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal who "lied" about serving in the Vietnam War.
"And now he's up there talking like he's holier than thou," Mr Trump said about the senator.
"I think the judge has been pretty amazing about describing his behaviour [surrounding] alcohol and beer," he said.
He is running through a list of Democratic Senators and matters they may have "lied" about and how Senator Dianne Feinstein "probably leaked" Dr Ford's allegations to the media.
"Based on her very bad body language," Mr Trump said Ms Feinstein was likely the person who outed Dr Ford and how she "waited" to do it until just before the vote on Mr Kavanaugh.
"I don't think [Mr Kavanaugh] did" lie about his drinking, Mr Trump said.
"Nobody [has] said anything bad about him in many, many years," the president noted about the nominee.
"He's been treated horribly. He's a good man with a great family," Mr Trump said about Mr Kavanaugh.
The president commended Senator Lindsey Graham for bringing up a "good point" during the hearing about how "good" people may not come forward to work in federal judgeship positions as a result of the Kavanaugh confirmation process.
"My concern is we get great, great people on the Supreme Court," Mr Trump said, noting he is "not concerned" with anything else.
"I think he's a fine man. I think he's a great scholar," Mr Trump said about Mr Kavanaugh's "focus on being number one" in high school and at Yale.
Mr Trump said Mr Kavanaugh detailed his "difficulty" with drinking during his younger days, but his testimony appeared to convey otherwise.
Mr Kavanaugh repeatedly said he did not drink in excess nor to the point of "blacking out".
He did indicate, in his revised testimony, he had a "weak stomach" when it came to drinking.
Originally, Mr Kavanaugh had said an item in his high school yearbook about "ralphing" was in reference to a weak stomach due to spicy food, not beer.
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