News that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer would retire sent shockwaves through the political world on Wednesday — earlier, evidently, than Breyer had hoped.
Multiple outlets reported Wednesday that Breyer planned to announce his retirement, major news that signaled President Biden would be able to put forward his first nominee to the Supreme Court. But hours after the news was widely reported, Breyer had still not confirmed it. Fox News legal correspondent Shannon Bream reports that Breyer's announcement "wasn't planned for today" and he was surprised and unhappy the news was revealed early.
"Justice Breyer was not planning to announce his retirement today," Bream reported on Fox News, adding, "I'm told that he is 'upset,' that the way that this is being handled was not the timeline that he had planned."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bream went on to say that Breyer reportedly "felt this was pushed before he was ready to make it official." She later followed up on Twitter to clarify that Breyer did decide "on his own to retire" and that it would be "better to characterize him as surprised by events today than 'upset'" after someone "jumped the gun" on the announcement.
Breyer is planning to stay on at the Supreme Court until the end of its term, NBC News reported, and CNN reports the formal announcement is now expected on Thursday. Asked for comment on the news, Biden declined to weigh in until it was official. "Every justice has the right and opportunity to decide what he or she is going to do and announce it on their own," Biden said. "There has been no announcement from Justice Breyer. Let him make whatever statement he's going to make, and I'll be happy to talk about it later."
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government buildingSpeed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to USSpeed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU officesSpeed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping missionSpeed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peaceSpeed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest warSpeed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
