National Public Radio (NPR) retracted a published report on Tuesday morning after erroneously announcing the retirement of U.
S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
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The news outlet quickly removed the story from its digital platform following publication.
The initial article was written by veteran Supreme Court correspondent Nina Totenberg. NPR replaced the deleted coverage with a brief notice clarifying the administrative error.
"This story has been taken down. It was published in error," stated the NPR editor's note.
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The unverified report generated immediate traction due to the political implications for the nation's highest judicial body.
A vacancy would allow President Donald Trump to appoint his fourth Supreme Court justice, consolidating conservative judicial influence.
Totenberg holds a long tenure covering the high court, which prompted initial speculation regarding the validity of the underlying reporting before the official retraction.
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Currently, neither Justice Alito nor the Supreme Court has issued any retirement announcements, and NPR has provided no further explanation.
