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.

The discussions are reportedly in the early stages, but they are focused on finding a potential nominee in the mold of current Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, who are the oldest justices on the bench.