United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has resigned after five years on the job amid the possibility that the postal service could be privatized.
DeJoy came to the United States Postal Service amid a global pandemic, and faced supply chain issues, dwindling revenue and staff shortages thanks to the pandemic. He was a Republican donor and previously owned a logistics business. DeJoy was the first individual in nearly 20 years to be postmaster general who was not a career postal employee.
“I believe strongly that the organization is well positioned and capable of carrying forward and fully implementing the many strategies and initiatives that comprise our transformation and modernization, and I have been working closely with the Deputy Postmaster General to prepare for this transition,” DeJoy said in a statement.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are considering privatizing the USPS and cutting staff.
Last month, DeJoy said he planned to step down but did not set a date. He announced his resignation yesterday as Trump considers putting the Commerce Department in control of USPS, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1775.
The federal agency loses $78 billion a year in revenue and has seen a decline in first-class mail usage.
The Associated Press reported Monday that Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino will take over as postmaster general until the Postal Service Board of Governors names a permanent replacement.
According to National Association of Letter Carriers President Brian L. Renfroe, the union stands ready to work with whomever the board selects as the next postmaster general.
“The future of the Postal Service is on the line, and choosing someone with innovative ideas and appreciation for our Constitutionally-mandated service is essential,” Renfroe said.
DeJoy said in early March that he planned to cut 10,000 workers and billions of dollars from the USPS budget while working with DOGE, according to a letter sent to members of Congress.
Last weekend, USPS workers, mail carriers and the public held rallies around the United States protesting DOGE cuts and privatization of the agency.
U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, has criticized Trump and DOGE’s plan for the agency.
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Rebecca Barnabi
