Justice Alito retirement speculation intensifies as memoir publication and valedictory signals mount

Intense speculation about Justice Samuel Alito's retirement from the Supreme Court circulated in February 2026, driven by several indicators: his memoir was scheduled for an October 2026 release — one day before the new Supreme Court term begins — and former clerks published laudatory articles with a valedictory tone. Alito gave a rare interview to Politico discussing his legacy and appeared to view his Dobbs decision as the capstone of his tenure. However, sources close to Alito told Fox News and CBS News he did not plan to retire in the current term.