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Wafric News – May 10, 2025

The U.S. Postal Service has named David Steiner, a FedEx board member and former corporate executive, as the next Postmaster General — a decision many are calling a major red flag in the fight to preserve public control over America’s mail system.

Steiner, who will take the helm in July, steps in following the abrupt resignation of Louis DeJoy, who served during one of the most turbulent periods in USPS history — from pandemic delivery crises to mail-in ballot surges and years of financial strain.

Steiner's background? Boardroom pedigree at FedEx and Waste Management — private-sector giants with deep ties to logistics and profit-driven operations. Now, he’s been handed the keys to a 635,000-employee public institution. Critics say that’s not just a red flag — it’s a flashing siren.

“I believe strongly in maintaining [USPS’s] role as an independent establishment,” Steiner said Friday in a carefully worded statement. But not everyone’s buying it.

Conflict of Interest? Lawmakers, Workers Sound Alarm

Representative Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, didn’t mince words when rumors of Steiner’s appointment first broke.

“This is a blatant conflict of interest and an attempt by President Trump to install a handpicked loyalist,” Connolly said, warning of the risks of politicizing an agency that millions rely on every day.

In a joint statement, Connolly and Rep. Kweisi Mfume added that their committee would be watching closely.

“The American people deserve a Postal Service that operates without political influence. We sincerely hope Mr. Steiner will put the people first — not the profit margins of private corporations.”

Unions are also pushing back. The National Association of Letter Carriers slammed the appointment, calling it a dangerous pivot toward privatization.

“This isn’t just a conflict — it’s a corporate takeover in plain sight,” said NALC President Brian Renfroe. “Steiner’s ties to FedEx raise serious questions about who he’s really working for.”

FedEx, a longtime USPS competitor in parcel delivery, stands to benefit significantly if the public mail system is weakened or privatized.

Trump’s Quiet Merger Agenda

The announcement comes amid a broader push by former President Donald Trump, who has floated ideas to merge the Postal Service with the Department of Commerce — a move critics say would gut the agency’s independence.

At a recent swearing-in ceremony for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump suggested the Postal Service could operate under a “new model,” calling it a “form of a merger.”

“We want a post office that works — not one that loses billions,” Trump said. “We’re thinking about a merger. It’ll still be called the Postal Service, but it’ll operate a lot better.”

That language echoes growing calls from pro-privatization voices, including tech billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk, who backed stripping USPS of its parcel delivery role earlier this year.

Before stepping down, DeJoy quietly greenlit a partnership with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), targeting USPS pensions and workers’ comp costs. He also laid the groundwork for a voluntary retirement plan to slash 10,000 more jobs — on top of the 30,000 USPS positions already cut since 2021.

What’s Next for the Mail?

While USPS says Steiner will resign from FedEx’s board before taking office, concerns remain. With the next farm bill, federal budget talks, and privatization whispers swirling, the future of the Postal Service could shift dramatically under Steiner’s leadership.

Will he be a steward of public service — or the CEO of its sell-off?

One thing’s clear: the battle for the soul of USPS isn’t over. It may have just begun.


WafricNews Politics Desk.

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