Veteran Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has made clear he has no intention of stepping down, pushing back firmly against mounting retirement pressure from fellow conservatives.
Alito, who is 76 years old, has just completed his 20th term on the Supreme Court and confirmed he intends to return for the term beginning in October.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Alito addressed the swirling speculation with characteristic bluntness, likening those hoping for his vacancy to circling birds of prey.
“It’s not pleasant, in the sense that it’s a reminder of mortality,” he told the publication. “It’s like, what are those vultures doing up there? They are flying around. But it goes with life tenure.”
The retirement rumours intensified dramatically on 30 June, when NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenberg published a pre-written story announcing that Alito was stepping down from the bench.
NPR pulled the piece within minutes of publication, with Totenberg later revealing she had misheard an announcement about staff retirements at the court and apologised directly to Alito.
Despite the swift retraction, the episode fuelled ongoing debate among conservatives about whether Alito should vacate his seat to allow a strategic replacement under the current administration.
Alito also addressed concerns during the Wall Street Journal interview that his rulings may be shaped by political considerations or presidential influence, rejecting the suggestion outright.
“I vote in every case the way I think the case should be decided,” Alito said. “If that means a high correlation with what Trump wants, fine. If it means zero correlation with what Trump wants, fine as well.”
Several recent decisions from Alito aligned with positions supported by the Trump administration, which had prompted questions about judicial independence and the Court’s broader political direction.
Alito is the second-oldest serving justice on the Supreme Court, behind Justice Clarence Thomas, who is 78 years old and has himself faced persistent retirement speculation this year.
The Supreme Court is currently in its summer recess and is scheduled to reconvene for its next full term in October, at which point Alito has confirmed he intends to be present on the bench.