Which Supreme Court justices will resign during Trump's term?
Samuel Alito is an aging justice, but there is no clear public indication that he plans to resign, and Supreme Court justices usually leave on their own timing rather than under near-term pressure. I put the chance of a resignation during Trump’s remaining term at 18%.
Analysis
The strongest argument for a resignation is simply age and tenure: Alito is 76, and over a 2.3-year remaining Trump term there is a meaningful but still limited window for a retirement or health-driven departure. Supreme Court justices do sometimes time exits around favorable political conditions, and Trump’s ability to appoint a successor could make this period more attractive if Alito personally wanted to step down for ideological or personal reasons.
Against that, the available reporting points the other way. The latest coverage says there is no immediate sign of retirement, and Alito is still actively participating in major cases, which is exactly what you would expect from a justice who is not preparing to leave. The fact that Trump publicly praises Alito also suggests no obvious political rupture or pressure forcing a departure, and justices of his profile generally prefer to remain on the bench unless health, family, or a long-considered retirement plan intervenes.
Putting those forces together, the base rate looks much lower than the market price. A 56% implied probability is more consistent with someone already signaling retirement or facing severe health concerns than with a healthy, active justice whose recent public posture is stable. The market may be overweighting age and the long history of retirement speculation while underweighting how rarely justices resign absent a clear trigger.
Arguments
For
- He is 76, so the retirement window is no longer remote.
- A resignation under Trump would allow a like-minded successor to be appointed.
Against
- Recent coverage explicitly says there is no immediate sign of resignation or retirement.
- He is still actively serving and weighing in on major cases, which argues for continuity.
Key drivers
- Alito’s age makes a voluntary retirement plausible within the remaining Trump term.
- Recent reporting shows no immediate sign that he is preparing to step down.
- A Trump presidency could make timing a retirement strategically attractive if he wants a conservative successor.
Risk factors
- Unexpected health issues could accelerate a resignation.
- A sudden personal or family decision could override the current stability signal.
Scenarios
Best case
Alito decides the timing is favorable and resigns during Trump’s term, giving Trump a chance to appoint a replacement and triggering a Yes outcome.
Most likely
Alito stays in place for the near term, with no clear public retirement signal emerging before the end of Trump’s presidency.
Worst case
Alito remains on the Court through January 2029, with no formal resignation or retirement announcement during Trump’s term.
More from this day
- politicsPolymarketEnded
Trump x Greenland deal signed by...?
AI12%MKT97%Edge-85HypedThe agreement appears to have been announced, but the formal signature is still described as coming next week rather than before the September 23 cutoff. That makes a Yes outcome possible only if the governments accelerate the signing unexpectedly, so I think the market is materially overpricing Yes.
- FinancialsKalshi13y
Will OpenAI or Anthropic IPO first?
AI23%MKT90%Edge-67HypedI think Anthropic is more likely to IPO before OpenAI, so the Yes side looks overpriced if Yes means OpenAI goes first. The clearest public signals point to Anthropic being closer to market, while OpenAI is explicitly signaling a later timetable.
- PoliticsKalshi2y
Who will Trump pardon?
AI3%MKT50%Edge-47HypedI think the chance Barron Trump receives a presidential pardon before Jan. 21, 2029 is very low, because there is no visible underlying federal offense or legal exposure that would make a pardon relevant. Absent an extraordinary future scandal, this looks far more like a speculative family-name market than a grounded clemency case.