Trump Contemplates Integrating the US Postal Service with the Commerce Department
“We are losing a significant amount of money with the Postal Service, and we cannot afford to keep losing that kind of money,” Trump stated.
President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States Postal Service (USPS) might soon be integrated with the Department of Commerce.
“Our goal is to establish a postal service that operates efficiently without losing substantial sums of money, and this is something we’re exploring,” he remarked on February 21 while addressing the media in the Oval Office. “It will be a type of merger, yet the Postal Service will continue to exist, and I believe it will function much more effectively than it has over the years.”
These remarks were made just after Howard Lutnick was inaugurated as the new Secretary of Commerce.
Previously, the president has also indicated that privatization of the agency could be a possibility.
Although the USPS is designed to operate through its own revenue, it has frequently sought financial support from Congress. President Joe Biden ultimately provided around $50 billion in aid to the postal service and enacted legislation in 2022 to relieve some agency obligations, including eliminating the requirement for six-day delivery.
The agency reported a staggering loss of $9.5 billion in 2024.
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Trump labeled the USPS as “a tremendous financial drain on the country” and commended Lutnick for his strong business acumen, indicating he would explore the merger option. The president reassured that the postal service would remain as is.
“We are leaving the Postal Service intact, but we cannot continue to incur these financial losses, so the Secretary and others with the necessary expertise will be examining the situation,” Trump conveyed.
Democrats, however, have opposed any alterations, accusing Trump of attempting to seize control of the USPS.
The USPS functions as an independent agency overseen by a board of governors, whose members are appointed by the president and are responsible for selecting the postmaster general.
The current postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, has recently expressed his intention to resign and requested the board to initiate the process for selecting his replacement.
A spokesperson from the White House informed The Epoch Times via email on February 21 that there are no plans for an executive order to dissolve the USPS Board of Governors or to merge the USPS with the Commerce Department at this time.
