在期中选举到来前的几个月里，关于塞缪尔·阿利托大法官退休计划的猜测有所增加。
Speculation about Justice Samuel Alito's plans has increased in recent months ahead of the midterms.
在最高法院潜在的人事任命方面，唐纳德·特朗普总统陷入了进退维谷的境地。那两位被证明对他和他的议程最忠诚的大法官，恰好也是法院中最年长的成员。
When it comes to potential appointments to the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump is in a bind. The two justices who’ve proven most loyal to him and his agenda just happen to be the court’s oldest members.
现年78岁的克拉伦斯·托马斯大法官是当前法院中最年长、任职时间最长的成员，他在最高法院任职近35年。如果这位由老布什任命的法官在2028年5月之前继续留在法院，他将超过威廉·道格拉斯大法官，成为历史上任职时间最长的法官。
Justice Clarence Thomas, 78, is the oldest and longest-serving member of the current court, with nearly 35 years on the highest bench. If the George H.W. Bush appointee remains on the court through May 2028, he will surpass Justice William Douglas to become the longest-serving justice in history.
小布什任命的塞缪尔·阿利托大法官现年76岁，是年龄第二大的法官，也是关于可能退休的猜测最多的焦点。
Justice Samuel Alito, 76, a George W. Bush appointee, is the next oldest and has been the focus of the most speculation about a possible retirement.
最近几个月，这一问题的紧迫性有所增加，因为民调显示民主党人有很大机会夺回参议院，从而获得阻止特朗普替换离任大法官的权力。
The urgency of the issue has increased in recent months as polling shows Democrats with a serious chance of winning back the Senate, giving them power to block any bid by Trump to replace a departing justice.