The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service is preparing for a potential takeover by the Trump administration and has hired outside counsel to fight against any executive order to that effect. Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick has discussed plans with Trump to dissolve USPS leadership and incorporate the agency into the Department of Commerce. However, no executive orders targeting the Postal Service are currently in the works.
Democratic lawmakers have urged Trump to abandon any plans to dismantle the Postal Service’s leadership, stating that such action would threaten the timely delivery of essential items such as medications and mail-in ballots. Additionally, the postal board believes any takeover attempt would be unconstitutional, as the Postal Service was created by an act of Congress and is authorized by the Constitution. It is also unlikely that Trump could privatize the agency without congressional approval.
During his first administration, Trump considered eliminating the universal service obligation, a federal requirement that ensures mail services are provided to all U.S. residents daily. Discussions surrounding USPS come as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has cut federal programs and government jobs as part of an effort to overhaul the federal government.
Republican Louis DeJoy, who has served as postmaster general for the past five years, announced plans to step down. His relationship with Trump soured after the 2020 election, where Trump criticized mail-in voting and blamed his loss to Joe Biden on it. Overall, any attempts to dismantle the Postal Service would not be unprecedented under the Trump administration, which has sought to merge various agencies and departments.
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