A Texas judge identified by Donald Trump as one of 11 people he would consider nominating to the US Supreme Court has repeatedly mocked the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on social media.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett last month likened Trump to Star Wars villain Darth Vader in a Twitter post.
"'We'll rebuild the Death Star. It'll be amazing, believe me. And the rebels will pay for it.' -Darth Trump," Willett tweeted last month with a photo of the Death Star, the giant spherical spaceship built to carry a planet-destroying weapon in the first "Star Wars" movie.
Willett also linked Trump to liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"Can't wait till Trump rips off his face Mission Impossible-style & reveals a laughing Ruth Bader Ginsburg," Willett posted on Twitter last August.
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Last June he mocked Trump's judgment on picking a nominee to the high court.
"Donald Trump haiku- Who would the Donald Name to #SCOTUS? The mind reels. *weeps-can't finish tweet*" tweeted Willett (@JusticeWillett) on the same day Trump launched his candidacy.
SCOTUS refers to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Asked to comment on Willett's Twitter remarks, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said, "Mr. Trump's sole focus is considering the best potential individuals based on their constitutional principles."
Alabama US Senator Jeff Sessions, a key Trump backer, was asked on Fox News Channel about the judge's Twitter posts, replying, "I doubt he cares".
Sessions said it was more important to ask whether Willett "follows the Constitution," is a good scholar, has integrity and meets the high standards expected of a Supreme Court justice.
Willett's enthusiastic tweeting would be a pivot from the current social media presence of Supreme Court justices. None of the eight sitting justices has a verified Twitter account.
Willett did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
