NEW: Supreme Court Justice Rumored To Be Considering Retirement

Rumors are swirling in legal and political circles that a sitting Supreme Court justice may be weighing retirement, a move that could hand President Donald Trump another opportunity to reshape the nation’s highest court.

The speculation centers on Justice Samuel Alito, who marks two decades on the bench this year. Appointed in 2006, Alito is now the court’s second-oldest member and one of its most reliably conservative voices.

“That is usually a very good milestone on which to retire,” Melissa Murray, a New York University law professor, said on the latest episode of the podcast Strict Scrutiny.

The timing is what has observers talking. Republicans currently control the Senate, giving Trump a clearer path to confirm a successor if a vacancy opens before the midterm elections. A shift in Senate control next year could complicate that math.

Strict Scrutiny co-host Kate Shaw floated the possibility that an announcement could come in the coming weeks, allowing Alito to step down at the end of the current term and avoid a bruising confirmation battle during an election year.

Fueling the chatter is Alito’s upcoming book release in October, right as the Supreme Court begins a new term. Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck suggested the publication date may not be random.

“A pretty big tell since one can’t exactly go on a book tour during the first argument session of the term,” Vladeck wrote on Substack.

Recent books by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Amy Coney Barrett were released in September, giving them time to promote their work before arguments resumed. An October date has prompted some to wonder whether Alito expects to have more flexibility in his schedule.

Others are skeptical. Legal commentator David Lat argued that staying on the bench could actually boost interest in the book.

“Book buyers are much more interested in what a current justice has to say, as opposed to a retired one,” Lat wrote on Substack. “I could see Justice Alito not wanting to step down until well after publication.”

Washington consultant Bruce Mehlman also urged caution, noting that Alito, who turns 76 in April, is still below the average retirement age of 79 for justices in recent decades.

Mehlman pointed out that Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas have been among Trump’s most dependable votes on the court. At the same time, he suggested that while the president still wields significant influence within the GOP, future confirmation fights may not be as automatic as they once were.

“And while the President retains massive sway with Congressional GOP, his ability to demand fealty on future nominations may be diminishing,” Mehlman wrote.

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History suggests the possibility is not far-fetched. Eight of the past 10 presidents have had at least one Supreme Court vacancy during their first two years in office.

During his first term, Trump appointed three justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. A fourth nomination would further solidify the court’s conservative majority for years to come.

For now, there has been no public signal from Alito that he intends to step down. But in Washington, even the faintest hint of a Supreme Court vacancy is enough to set off a political firestorm.

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