Justice Samuel Alito, 76, directly addressed retirement speculation in an August 2026 Wall Street Journal interview, stating he is serving another term after an erroneous June NPR report briefly fueled rumors at the end of the Supreme Court session. The court and NPR quickly confirmed no announcement had occurred, attributing the error to a misunderstanding during staff retirement notices. Alito has shown no public signs of stepping down, consistent with patterns for senior justices where end-of-term speculation often arises without action. The next term begins in October 2026, with any potential announcement typically tied to term conclusions or Senate dynamics rather than immediate developments. Trader assessments reflect these confirmed statements and the absence of supporting signals from the justice or court.