Justice Samuel Alito, 76, has directly addressed retirement speculation by stating in an early August 2026 Wall Street Journal interview that he is “here for another term,” following an erroneous late-June NPR report that briefly fueled rumors of an imminent departure. The Supreme Court’s public information office quickly rejected the NPR claim, and Alito has hired his full complement of law clerks for the term beginning in October 2026 and running into mid-2027. Speculation had centered on timing that could allow a Republican president to name a successor while the party holds a Senate majority, but no official announcement or procedural signals have emerged. Typical Supreme Court retirement announcements occur at the end of a term in June or July, and any market resolution hinges on whether Alito issues a formal statement before the specified cutoff.