NPR Retracts False Report Claiming Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Was Retiring

NPR retracted a report Tuesday that incorrectly claimed Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was retiring, reversing a story that briefly suggested President Donald Trump would soon have the opportunity to nominate a fourth justice to the nation’s highest court.

The outlet withdrew the report after publishing it earlier in the day. Alito remains on the Supreme Court, and no vacancy currently exists.

Alito joined the Supreme Court in 2006 after being nominated by former President George W. Bush to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Over nearly two decades on the bench, he has emerged as one of the court’s leading conservative voices and has authored or joined numerous landmark decisions.

Trump appointed three justices during his first term—Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett—helping shape the court’s current conservative majority.

Had Alito retired, Trump would have been positioned to nominate a fourth Supreme Court justice during his second term. However, NPR’s retraction means no such vacancy currently exists.

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🚨 NOW: NPR RETRACTS story that Samuel Alito has retired from the Supreme Court

He’s a SUPER reliable vote for this republic and America.

We need him, and when he does retire, his replacement needs to be IMPECCABLE. The same goes for Clarence Thomas.

Bless this patriot 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CG5g0b7IS5

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 30, 2026