Donald Trump Jr sparked a swift backlash on social media after claiming Democrats were trying to “secure the paedophile vote” during Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing.

       Republican senators were accused of repeatedly trying to “smear” Ms Jackson for being soft on child sexual abuse imagery cases during her time on lower courts this week.

       In the face of the ongoing attacks, Ms Jackson has passionately defended her record, and said it was Congress’s job to set sentencing guidelines.

       On Thursday, Mr Trump Jr tweeted: “Democrats really doing their best to secure the pedophile vote for future elections this week.”

       Democrats really doing their best to secure the pedophile vote for future elections this week.

       — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 24, 2022

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       “Just when you thought Jr couldn’t go any lower, he comes out with something like this,” wrote one person.

       Twitter users accused him of hypocrisy given the nearly two dozen sexual assault allegations against his father.

       Others mentioned that a sitting Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz is reportedly under federal investigation for sex trafficking, an allegation he has denied.

       “When you contrast the lack of professionalism and tone of the Trump administration/family statements with those of all of the past administration/families, you can see how damaging the 2016 election really was,” another said.

       “In just four years, we’ve lost the ability to be kind.”

       On Wednesday, Mr Trump Jr was mocked for a separate attack on Ms Jackson after she declined to answer a question from Sen Marsha Blackburn.

       1 + 1 = ??? I have no idea what the answer is… I’m not a mathematician!!! #JudgeKetanjiBrownJackson

       — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 23, 2022

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       Sen Blackburn asked the judge if she could “provide a definition for the word ‘woman’?” The judge replied that she was “not a biologist”.

       Ms Jackson would become the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation if confirmed to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.