Justice Samuel Alito, 76, directly addressed retirement speculation in an early August 2026 Wall Street Journal interview, stating he is “here for another term.” This followed a late June NPR retraction of an erroneous report claiming he had announced his departure at the end of the Supreme Court’s term. Republican Senate control (53-47) and a sitting Republican president create structural incentives for a conservative justice to time any exit while confirmation prospects remain favorable ahead of the 2026 midterms. Alito has never publicly signaled plans to step down, and analysts note his book release coincides with the October 2026 term start. Prediction markets currently price near-term retirement probabilities near zero, reflecting trader consensus that his explicit statement and institutional timing considerations outweigh earlier rumors.