Clarence Thomas Reflects on Yale Law School Days with Justice Alito

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently shared a humorous memory about his interaction with Justice Samuel Alito during their time at Yale Law School. In a conversation, Alito remarked that they weren’t friends because Thomas was ‘scary.’

Thomas discussed this memory during a rare interview with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the ‘Verdict with Ted Cruz’ podcast aired Wednesday. The interview covered a range of topics including race and politics.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Thomas, and Justice Alito were pictured attending the inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025, highlighting their continued collaboration in the Supreme Court.

During the podcast, Cruz pointed out that Alito attended Yale a year after Thomas. Despite being in the same institution, they never became friends. Thomas noted that Alito was ‘nerdy,’ and both shared the Princeton connection.

Thomas recounted asking Alito why they didn’t form a friendship during their law school years, to which Alito replied, ‘Clarence, you were scary.’

Thomas mentioned his unique fashion choices during law school. He wore bib overalls and combat boots which perhaps contributed to his intimidating persona. Thomas expressed relief that smartphones, which could capture such moments, weren’t prevalent at the time.

In a related discussion on ‘The Will Cain Show,’ Cruz described Thomas as a former ‘left-wing radical’ who shifted to conservatism later. Cruz praised Thomas’s intellectual journey, acknowledging that he overcame significant challenges to become a leading figure in American law.