Supreme Court: Alito confirms he will stay through current term
The 76-year-old justice defies Republican pressure to retire before Democrats take control of the Senate in January.
By Giulia Donovan ·
Washington power dynamics shifted sharply after the November midterm elections, leaving the Supreme Court's future composition in the spotlight. Justice Samuel Alito has confirmed he will not step down before the end of the current judicial term.
Alito is 76 years old and serves as the second-oldest member of the court. He is only two years younger than Chief Justice Clarence Thomas, who is 78. During the recent congressional elections, the Republican Party suffered major losses. These results gave the Democratic Party firm control of the Senate starting in January.
Prior to the election, some Republicans urged Alito to resign. They hoped to allow President Donald Trump to appoint a successor before the Senate leadership changed hands. Alito rejected that timeline. According to media reports on Thursday, he intends to remain on the bench for the remainder of the term.
The justice made his plans clear in October. In an interview with CBS News, he said he expects to reconsider his retirement decision each year. He also told Bloomberg in the same month that he plans to stick around through this term.
The timing creates a strategic challenge for the White House. Once Democrats take over the Senate in January, it becomes much harder for President Trump to fill a vacancy with a Republican nominee. Alito's decision keeps the current court balance intact until at least the conclusion of the ongoing term.
