Conservative Supreme Court Justice Responds to Calls to Retire

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has no intention of stepping down from his position on the nation’s highest court, according to recent reports.

“Despite what some people may think, this is a man who has never thought about this job from a political perspective,” shared a source close to Alito. “The idea that he’s going to retire for political considerations is not consistent with who he is.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that individuals familiar with the matter dismissed speculation among legal activists that the 74-year-old justice might retire to allow President-elect Donald Trump to appoint a younger conservative to the bench.

Following Trump’s election, discussions about the Supreme Court’s future have intensified, particularly since the three oldest justices are in their 70s. For at least the next two years, Republicans are expected to control both the Senate and the presidency, enabling them to fill court vacancies without needing Democratic support.

Some Republicans argue that it would be prudent for Justice Alito, who joined the court in 2006 after being nominated by President George W. Bush, and Justice Clarence Thomas, 76, appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, to step aside in favor of younger conservatives who could maintain the court’s ideological balance for decades.

Although public opinion polls suggest that many Americans perceive the Supreme Court as politically influenced, sources emphasize that justices of all ideologies strive to separate themselves from partisan politics. Within the court, the political chatter following the election has reportedly become tiresome.

During his first term, Trump appointed three justices, establishing a 6-3 conservative majority. Alito has played a key role in shaping the court’s conservative direction. In 2022, he authored the opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision from 1973 that had protected women’s abortion rights, achieving a long-held conservative goal once thought unattainable.

According to those familiar with Alito, he remains in good health, enjoys his work, and believes he has more to contribute to the court’s jurisprudence. Sources also confirmed that he has already hired a legal clerk for the 2025–2026 term and plans to fill the remaining positions in the coming months.

Given the lifetime tenure of Supreme Court justices, any vacancy could influence U.S. law for generations. Both Democrats and Republicans are acutely aware of the stakes, especially after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020. Her passing allowed Trump to appoint Justice Amy Coney Barrett, securing the votes necessary to overturn Roe.

Similarly, some Democrats are now concerned about Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 70, the most senior member of the court’s liberal bloc. Advocates have suggested she consider retiring while Democrats control the presidency and Senate to ensure a younger progressive could succeed her. However, her supporters told the Wall Street Journal that Sotomayor remains in good health and has no plans to step down. They added that she believes her voice is still vital to the court, even when offering dissenting opinions.