(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump learned of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death only after concluding a nearly two-hour campaign rally in Minnesota, where he told supporters they should re-elect him in part because of the Supreme Court.
“She just died?” Trump said to reporters after an aide appeared to tell him the news. “She led an amazing life. She was an amazing woman.”
He didn't respond to a question about filling the vacancy before departing Minnesota.
Ginsburg's death was announced by the Supreme Court just before 7:30 p.m. in Washington, after Trump had begun speaking at the rally. The president delivered remarks for over 90 more minutes, unaware of her passing.
While some of the president's aides reacted to the news and discussed among one another and reporters Trump's opportunity to nominate another justice, he was on stage, oblivious. No one interrupted him.
His rally speech touched on the Lincoln Bedroom, Barbra Streisand, Hillary Clinton's yoga lessons and Robert E. Lee and the lack of cell phones during the Civil War. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “as sharp as you can be” and discussed a “super-duper missile” under development.
“Did you get your money's worth?” he asked his audience at one point.
When he mentioned how important the election is for appointing Supreme Court justices, someone in the crowd yelled “ONE MORE!” But his aides still hadn't gotten a message to him.
“The next president will get one, two three or four” Supreme Court nominations, he told the audience.
Flags at the White House were lowered to half-staff while Trump was still on stage.
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