Officials said that Trump is planning to fire members of USPS' governing board and absorb the agency into the Commerce Department.
President Donald Trump is expected to take control of the U.S. Postal Service as soon as this week, according to reports, disbanding the agency's governing board and absorbing the 250-year-old mail provider into his administration.
The move, which the president had first discussed with his pick for commerce secretary Howard Lutnick back in December, could bring significant changes to the way the agency works and profoundly impact its customers, especially those living in the U.S. rural communities, as well as threaten USPS' independent status.Why It MattersThe USPS is one of the most well-liked federal agencies in the country, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey that found that 72 percent of Americans had a favorable opinion of the mail provider. The agency serves nearly 167 million addresses in the country, covering every state, city, and town, and employs over 525,000 people.But despite the crucial importance of USPS' work, especially in America's rural and remote areas, the agency has been reporting significant financial losses in recent years. In the fiscal year 2024, USPS reported a $9.5 billion net loss, despite year-over-year growth in revenue and a reduction in its controllable expenses.The agency said that 80 percent of its losses came from fixed costs, including pension contributions for its retirees and workers' compensation claims for injuries on the job. USPS currently expects to close the fiscal year 2025 with a $6.9 billion net loss.What to KnowThe Washington Post, which first reported Trump's plan late on Thursday, quoted officials wishing to remain anonymous in saying that the president is expected to issue an executive order to fire the members of the USPS governing board as soon as this week. A White House spokesperson told the newspaper that no such executive order was planned.The agency is then expected to be placed under the control of the Commerce Department and Secretary Lutnick, who was confirmed in his role earlier this week. Three of the six officials interviewed by the newspaper said the governing board is ready to fight Trump's order and gave instructions to sue the White House if the president attempted a takeover of the agency.The move, should it be implemented despite the White House's denial, is likely to prompt legal actions, as placing the USPS under the Commerce Department could potentially violate federal law. Members of the agency's governing board are appointed by the U.S. president and confirmed by the Senate.Newsweek contacted the Postal Service for comment by email on Friday morning, outside of standard working hours.What People Are SayingBack in December, when he was discussing the idea of privatizing USPS, Trump said: 'There is a lot of talk about the Postal Service being taken private. It's a lot different today, between Amazon and UPS and FedEx and all the things that you didn't have. But there is talk about that. It's an idea that a lot of people have liked for a long time.'American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein said in a statement: 'If this reporting is true, it would be an outrageous, unlawful attack on a storied national treasure, enshrined in the Constitution and created by Congress to serve every American home and business equally. Any attack on the Postal Service would be part of the billionaire oligarch coup, directed not just at the postal workers our union represents, but the millions of Americans who rely on the critical public service our members provide every single day.'He added: 'The public Postal Service is the low-cost anchor of a $1.2 trillion mail and shipping industry, which supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the country. Efforts to privatize the Postal Service, in whole or in part, or to strip it of its independence or public service mission, would be of no benefit to the American people. Instead, it would drive up postage rates and lead to reduced service, especially to rural America.'Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Accountability Committee, told the Washington Post: 'Privatizing the Postal Service is an attack on Americans' access to critical information, benefits and life-saving medical care. It is clear that Trump and his cronies value lining their own pockets more than the lives and connection of the American public.'James O'Rourke, who studies the Postal Service at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, told the Washington Post: 'The anxiety over the Postal Service is not only three-quarters of a million workers. It's that this is something that does not belong to the president or the White House. It belongs to the American people.'What Could Be The Impact Of Trump's USPS Takeover?The absorption of the U.S. postal service into the Trump administration is likely to lead to restructuring efforts to improve efficiency and make the agency more profitable. Sweeping cost-cutting measures may include changes in delivery schedules and mail processing procedures, as well as the closure or consolidation of postal facilities which would have a direct impact on customers.Reduced services, such as limiting delivery days or adjusting service standards, could potentially lead to slower mail delivery times for millions of people. Higher postage rates and fees for other mailing services, aimed at increasing the agency's revenues, would immediately weigh on individuals and businesses using its services.Any reduction in USPS' services is likely to hit rural communities the hardest, as these traditionally rely more heavily on the agency.Last but not least, a takeover of the agency by the Trump administration is likely to be followed by employees' layoffs or significant changes in working conditions for the USPS workforce. The Department of Government Efficiency , which was tapped by Trump to shrink the size of the government, has already laid off thousands of federal employees.
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