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Dulcinea

(10,293 posts)
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 08:28 AM Apr 16

Trump leans in on a major 2026 issue: possibly replacing Justices Alito and Thomas

(CNN) President Donald Trump seems to be leaning in on the idea that elderly conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas might think about a conveniently timed retirement this year.

Trump couched his comments to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in respect for the jurisprudence and decision-making processes of both justices. But he also repeatedly gestured at the political utility of them retiring soon:

“I think he is one of the great justices of all time,” Trump said of Alito, before adding: “It’d be nice to say, now I have somebody for 40 years.”

https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/16/politics/supreme-court-trump-alito-thomas

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump leans in on a major 2026 issue: possibly replacing Justices Alito and Thomas (Original Post) Dulcinea Apr 16 OP
Do they need 60 votes in the Senate to confirm? Bluestocking Apr 16 #1
No JBTaurus83 Apr 16 #2
51. If either Justice died after January 2026, no_hypocrisy Apr 16 #5
Epstein. marble falls Apr 16 #3
Democratic Senate Candidates displacedvermoter Apr 16 #4
It won't matter if he replaces them with Cannon and Barron Fiendish Thingy Apr 16 #6
A worse person than those two pwb Apr 16 #7
That was my reaction after seeing the headline Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 16 #10
They found Kavanaugh. eggplant Apr 16 #11
Probably Cannon and Bondi..... Bettie Apr 17 #22
he doesn't need worse, just younger Oliver Bolliver Butt Apr 16 #15
- Lemon Lyman Apr 16 #20
If ever there was a reason to change how SCOTUS is organized... TheWaywardTarheel Apr 16 #8
Ideal outcome... homegirl Apr 16 #9
I'd really like to share that article, but it's behind a paywall. Sogo Apr 16 #12
We need a super majority! BidenRocks Apr 16 #13
He just wants to say he appointed to new justices jgmiller Apr 16 #14
"Piggy couched his comments MorbidButterflyTat Apr 16 #16
I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO look forward to having somebody else sounding off calimary Apr 16 #17
He may continue to sound off for a while, but I don't think he'll be able to do it for long. ShazzieB Apr 16 #19
No, jackhole, YOU won't "have somebody for 40 years." ShazzieB Apr 16 #18
Who would have thought what was at stake in 2000, 2016, and 2024 that it was the SUPREME COURT? lostincalifornia Apr 16 #21

no_hypocrisy

(55,341 posts)
5. 51. If either Justice died after January 2026,
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 09:00 AM
Apr 16

Trump would be extremely frustrated. We could have 8 justices until 2029.

displacedvermoter

(4,974 posts)
4. Democratic Senate Candidates
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 08:59 AM
Apr 16

must make Supreme Court reform, including raising number of justices to match number of federal districts, a primary talking point. If there is going to be that Blue Tsunami I keep hearing about, then it needs to really mean something.

Keeping the status quo on the Supreme Court means another quarter century and more of right wing oppression judicially enforced.

Fiendish Thingy

(24,017 posts)
6. It won't matter if he replaces them with Cannon and Barron
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 09:10 AM
Apr 16

As long as voters elect Dems willing to expand the court, and kill the filibuster to do so.

Without expanding the court and neutralizing the MAGA majority, there can be no repairing of the damage of the Trump era, no restoration of lost rights.

eggplant

(4,230 posts)
11. They found Kavanaugh.
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 12:55 PM
Apr 16

There are worse people further down in the barrel. Like Hegseth, Cannon, ...

Bettie

(19,862 posts)
22. Probably Cannon and Bondi.....
Fri Apr 17, 2026, 08:54 AM
Apr 17

or good old Pirro.

There is a bottomless pit of suck ups devoid of ethics and rational thought to choose from.

Lemon Lyman

(1,622 posts)
20. -
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 07:12 PM
Apr 16

Yeah, but in no way can we have 45-yr-old versions of each replacing them. Fuggface has already installed 3 people onto the SC. President Obama appointed two in 8 years. President Biden appointed one in 4 years. Fuggface gets no more.

8. If ever there was a reason to change how SCOTUS is organized...
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 11:03 AM
Apr 16

....it would be the prospect of one or two more youngish, Trump-aligned jurists serving on the High Court for 3+ decades.

That alone should motivate people to demand accountability from the Court in some way, shape or more. Am I wrong to think that?

homegirl

(1,986 posts)
9. Ideal outcome...
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 11:27 AM
Apr 16

House and Senate go Democratic majority. Alito and Thomas retire, Democratic House and Senate refuse to consider replacements until 2029!

BidenRocks

(3,476 posts)
13. We need a super majority!
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 12:57 PM
Apr 16

Then we can expand the courts to side step chumps stacking and restore honor and equality!

jgmiller

(704 posts)
14. He just wants to say he appointed to new justices
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 12:58 PM
Apr 16

If they do retire whoever he puts there will be just as bad as the two of them. He does not care that the replacements will serve for 30 years he just wants to be able to say he got to more, it's him keeping score.

MorbidButterflyTat

(4,725 posts)
16. "Piggy couched his comments
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 02:44 PM
Apr 16

to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in respect for the jurisprudence and decision-making processes of both justices. "

That is some heavy duty sane washing right there!

calimary

(90,721 posts)
17. I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO look forward to having somebody else sounding off
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 02:56 PM
Apr 16

OTHER THAN trump.

Unfortunately, if he lives long enough to complain that America (hopefully) voted for a Democrat in 2028, he’ll STILL find every possible microphone. Like a bloodhound sniffing for bloodstains.

ShazzieB

(22,859 posts)
19. He may continue to sound off for a while, but I don't think he'll be able to do it for long.
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 03:22 PM
Apr 16

His cognitive decline is proceeding apace, and pretty soon, he'll be nonverbal, assuming he lives long enough to even finish this term.

At least that's what I keep telling myself, because I desperately want to live long enough to experience a Schlump free world again, if only for a short time.

ShazzieB

(22,859 posts)
18. No, jackhole, YOU won't "have somebody for 40 years."
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 03:12 PM
Apr 16

YOU won't have anything, because you will soon be in a nursing home (or possibly being cared for by private nurses at home, although I'm skeptical about your spawn being willing to part with enough of their future inheritance to pay for that), and in a hole in the ground not long after. WE are the ones who will be stuck with any sociopath(s) you might decide to replace Alito and/or Thomas with.

What a scary prospect! On the one hand, it's hard to imagine anyone worse than T and A, but if there is such a person, Schlump will find them, and they'll occupy those seats for a very long time into the future.

lostincalifornia

(5,515 posts)
21. Who would have thought what was at stake in 2000, 2016, and 2024 that it was the SUPREME COURT?
Thu Apr 16, 2026, 07:29 PM
Apr 16

It was the jackasses who repeatedly refused to vote for the Democratic candidate because it didn't match their "ideal vision".

They are beneath contempt, and those who went out of their way encouraging people not to vote for Hillary in 20216 should never be given seat at the table again.

Our Democracy is on its last legs because some people were careless enough to listen to those FOOLS!!!





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