Thomas, Alito not planning to retire from Supreme Court this year, sources say

Politics Supreme Court Justices Alito and Thomas not planning to retire this year, sources say By Jan Crawford Jan Crawford CBS News Chief Legal Correspondent Jan Crawford is CBS News' chief legal correspondent and a recognized authority on the Supreme Court. Her 2007 book, "Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for the Control of the United States Supreme Court" (Penguin Press), gained critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Read Full Bio Jan Crawford April 17, 2026 / 7:16 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Sources close to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito confirm that he is not planning to retire this year. Sources close to Justice Clarence Thomas also tell CBS News that he does not plan to step down. That indicates that this year, with the midterm elections on the horizon, President Trump will not be able to plan on an opportunity to make his fourth nomination to the Supreme Court. Alito's plans were first reported by Fox News. Alito and Thomas are two of the core members of the court's conservative majority.This is a developing story and will be updated. The U.S. Supreme Court More Supreme Court clears path for dismissal of Steve Bannon's conviction