Thune: Senate 'prepared to confirm' Alito replacement if he retires

“That's a contingency I think around here you always have to be prepared for," he added.

By Ben Whedon

Published: April 14, 2026 1:18pm

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Tuesday told the Washington Examiner that the Republican majority would be prepared to quickly replace Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito before the midterms, should he opt to soon retire.

“That's a contingency I think around here you always have to be prepared for. And if that were to happen, yes, we would be prepared to confirm," he told the Examiner's David Sivak.

Alito, 76, has attracted speculation of an impending retirement amid concerns that Republicans could lose the Senate in the November midterm elections. Should he opt to do so, President Donald Trump would likely be able to confirm his fourth pick for the Supreme Court.

He previously tapped Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom were confirmed. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, for his part, has also been the subject of speculation.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.