Justice Brett Kavanaugh defended how the Supreme Court has handled an increasing number of emergency cases brought by the Trump administration, pushing back against the criticism that the justices are failing to explain themselves.

Ever since Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Donald Trump at the US Capitol January 20 – with the eight other Supreme Court justices looking on – the question has been whether they would restrain a president who vowed to upend the constitutional order.

The White House and a close circle of lawyers plan for Trump to hit the ground running if there's a Supreme Court vacancy, sources tell TIME.