New details have been revealed regarding President Donald Trump’s plans for the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Trump is set to nominate FedEx board member and former Waste Management CEO David Steiner as the next USPS postmaster general, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Newsweek has contacted the White House and USPS for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The USPS serves nearly 169 million addresses in the U.S., delivering more mail and packages than any other postal service in the world, according to its website.
The independent agency has been facing financial woes in recent years, having implemented a 10-year plan to stabilize it in 2021. USPS reported a $9.5 billion loss in the fiscal year ending in September 2024, compared to a net loss of $6.5 billion the previous year.
President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025, in Washington. Kevin Dietsch/GETTY
What To Know
FedEx is a direct competitor of the USPS. A 20-year air cargo agreement between the two came to an end in September 2024. UPS was selected as a replacement.
“FedEx has not, and will not, be involved with choosing the next Postmaster General,” the company told The Independent in a statement.
Steiner would need to be confirmed by USPS board members. He was among several candidates presented to the White House for approval, according to The Washington Post.
If confirmed, Steiner will succeed Louis DeJoy, a Republican appointed during the first Trump administration, who resigned earlier this year. Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino is currently leading the postal service until its Board of Governors selects a new postmaster general.
The USPS has undergone several changes since the Trump’s January inauguration. It revealed plans to cut 10,000 jobs through attrition this year and outsource some mail-handling and transportation tasks to private companies.
Trump also announced earlier this month that he is nominating Republican donor Anthony Lomangino to one of four vacant USPS board seats. The Board of Governors is composed of 11 members and is responsible for setting rates, appointing the postmaster general and deputy postmaster general, as well as overseeing agency operations.
Members are appointed by the president and must be confirmed by the Senate. The board currently has two Democrats, two Republicans and an independent. After Lomangino’s nomination, there are four regular seats and two for the postmaster general and deputy.
The future of the USPS as an independent federal agency also hangs in the balance, with Trump previously indicating he may be in favor of privatization. Trump adviser Elon Musk has said he is in favor of bringing USPS out of public control.
The president has said he was considering bringing the postal service under the control of the Commerce Department.
“We’re thinking about doing that and it’ll be a form of a merger, but it will remain the Postal Service, and I think it’ll operate a lot better than it has been over the years,” Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in February. “It’s been just a tremendous loser for this country.”
What People Are Saying
Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, in a statement: “The apparent choice of a postmaster general that comes directly from service on the board of directors of FedEx, one of the Postal Service’s primary competitors, presents a clear conflict of interest. This is an unmistakable push to hand business over to private shippers. Letter carriers and the over 300 million people we serve every day recognize this attempt at a hostile takeover of a beloved American institution for what it is, privatization-by-proxy.”
Louis DeJoy, in a statement obtained by Newsweek in March regarding his resignation: “I am confident that Doug [Tulino] will continue our positive momentum during the period when the Governors undertake the important work of identifying and selecting the next Postmaster General. I also have no doubt that the entirety of the Postal Service will aggressively shape its future and become more efficient, capable, and competitive as it continuously changes and improves to best serve the American public.”
What Happens Next
The White House has not yet publicly confirmed the nomination of Steiner.
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