Samuel Alito rejects latest retirement rumors: 'Obviously I’m here for another term’

Conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has denied rumors that he is planning to retire from the highest court soon, stating that he was at least staying around for the upcoming term.

Rumors of a planned Alito retirement have circulated for years, though they gained steam in recent months, culminating in an erroneous NPR article that announced his retirement prematurely. An editor's note addressed the mistake.

Alito told the Wall Street Journal for an article published Friday that he intends to stay for another term and that questions about a possible retirement reminded the 76-year-old justice of his own mortality.

“Obviously, I’m here for another term,” Alito told the outlet. “It’s not pleasant, in the sense that it’s a reminder of mortality. It’s like, what are those vultures doing up there? They are flying around. But it goes with life tenure.” 

The comments are Alito's first recent statements about retirement. The justice never indicated that he would step down, but the possibility was floated earlier this year so President Donald Trump could pick a replacement and get them confirmed while Republicans still control the Senate. 

Alito is currently the second-oldest Supreme Court justice on the bench, after fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who is 78-years-old. Rumors also swirled earlier this year about Thomas stepping down. 

Alito also commented on his recent rulings, which have largely favored the president, but maintained that Trump had no influence in his decision-making.

“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."

The interview comes amid the high court's summer break. The court will begin its next term in October.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.