Recent hints from legal observers suggest Justice Samuel Alito may be eyeing retirement before the 2026 midterms, with prediction markets pricing his departure at 76¢, up from 68¢. While sources close to Alito previously indicated he had no immediate plans to leave, and Trump has said he hopes conservative justices "stay," the timing pressure is real. Legal analysts argue Alito could cement his jurisprudence for decades by stepping down while Republicans control the Senate, allowing Trump to replace him with "a mini-Alito who is 30 years younger". The market is pricing in strategic retirement timing over personal preference.