The Trump administration is considering placing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) under the control of the Commerce Department, according to sources. If this happens, the change would be made through an executive action.
Possible Leadership Change
The Commerce Department is currently led by billionaire Howard Lutnick, a close ally of former President Donald Trump. Trump mentioned the idea during Lutnick’s swearing-in ceremony at the White House, saying he wants the Postal Service to run more efficiently and stop losing money. He described the move as a “form of a merger” but assured that the USPS would continue to operate as a separate entity.
Postmaster General Resigns
Louis DeJoy, the current Postmaster General and a key Trump supporter, recently announced his resignation. However, he did not specify when he would officially step down. DeJoy took over in 2020 and introduced a plan to make the USPS profitable by 2024. Instead, the agency has reported increasing financial losses for the past two years.
USPS Facing Financial Struggles
Paul Steidler, an expert on postal services at the Lexington Institute, stated that Trump is unhappy with DeJoy’s leadership. Under DeJoy, mail service has worsened, rates have risen faster than inflation, and the agency’s financial situation has continued to decline.
Steidler warned that if USPS does not find a solution, it could run out of money within the next four years, during Trump’s second term. He also pointed out that while the president cannot directly fire the postmaster general, he does have the power to remove members of the USPS Board of Governors, who have the authority to make that decision.
Would Moving USPS to Commerce Be Legal?
Some experts believe the Commerce Department could oversee USPS in a supervisory role. However, permanently moving the Postal Service under Commerce would likely require approval from Congress.
Steidler argued that the USPS Board of Governors has not done its job properly and may need reform.
The History of USPS
The U.S. Postal Service was founded in 1775, with Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. It has always been an independent agency, overseen by the USPS Board of Governors, which includes the postmaster general and a deputy postmaster general.
The future of USPS remains uncertain, but changes could be on the way if Trump moves forward with his plan.
