On Wednesday, President Joe Biden predicted that the winner of the 2024 presidential election will “be able to appoint a couple of justices” to the Supreme Court and said that he intends to “put in really progressive judges.” This is a threat that conservatives need to take seriously, as losing the majority on the court would come with long-term repercussions on issues ranging from abortion to women’s sports.

The next president will almost certainly appoint at least one justice, as Clarence Thomas is 75, Samuel Alito is 74, and Sonia Sotomayor turns 70 this summer. After the political drama caused by the deaths of Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it is increasingly likely that the current justices will try to retire strategically so that their preferred successors are appointed. Nevertheless, the ages of the justices may necessitate ideological turnover, which is a terrifying prospect given what is at stake.