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The question wasn’t whether Louis DeJoy would step down, but rather, when. As NBC News reported, the public now has its answer.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement that he will retire today as the Postal Service’s top official. ‘After nearly five years as America’s 75th Postmaster General, and after informing the Governors in February of my intention to retire, I have today informed the Postal Service Board of Governors that today will be my last day in this role,’ DeJoy said.
His deputy, Douglas Tulino, will serve as interim postmaster general until the board of governors names a permanent successor.
Revisiting our earlier coverage, DeJoy’s political career has been anything but normal. Around this time eight years ago, for example, he was a part of a scandal-plagued Republican National Committee finance team. Three years later, Donald Trump elevated the GOP donor to the leadership position atop the U.S. Postal Service.
DeJoy became controversial for a great many reasons, and many Democrats made little effort to hide their desire to see him go. What was less well known, however, was the president who chose him for the job apparently wasn’t a fan, either: Trump reportedly resented the postmaster general for not doing more to curtail postal balloting during the 2020 election cycle.
Shortly before the president’s second inaugural, The Washington Post reported that Trump’s team was “vetting candidates” to succeed the incumbent postmaster general, despite DeJoy not having announced any plan to step down and the fact that only the USPS board can oust a postmaster general.
Evidently, he got the message.
Among the many reasons these developments are notable are the White House’s plans for the future of the USPS — some of which are undeniably radical.
There’s been speculation for months, for example, that Trump might consider trying to privatize the USPS, and the Republican hasn’t made much effort to deny that possibility. Asked specifically during his transition period whether he supports a privatization scheme, Trump said it’s “not the worst idea I’ve ever heard,” adding, “It’s an idea that a lot of people have talked about for a long time; we’re looking at it.”
More recently, as The New York Times reported, the president said he was considering merging the independent agency with the Commerce Department, which would apparently mean putting the USPS in the hands of Secretary Howard Lutnick — yes, that Howard Lutnick.
For now, however, the White House has not made its plans clear. Watch this space.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.