Louis DeJoy, U.S. Postmaster General, announced his resignation, as confirmed by a statement from the head of the United States Postal Service (USPS) on Monday. Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino will assume leadership of the USPS until the Postal Service’s governing board appoints a successor.
In the statement released Monday evening, DeJoy expressed confidence that the organization is in a strong position to continue implementing its transformation and modernization strategies. DeJoy’s departure follows his request to the USPS Board of Governors last month to initiate a search for a new postmaster general.
Earlier in March, DeJoy had agreed to have President Donald Trump’s advisor, Elon Musk, and his team help identify further efficiencies within USPS. DeJoy’s controversial tenure concludes shortly after Trump revealed, during a White House address, that his administration is considering transferring the postal service under the control of the Commerce Department. This move, targeting the USPS’s financial challenges, has raised concerns among legal experts who argue that it could breach the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, a law that established the postal service as an independent entity within the executive branch.
Additionally, Trump has indicated support for the privatization of the nation’s mail service, a stance that has incited widespread protests by postal workers’ unions.
Appointed during the COVID-19 pandemic, DeJoy oversaw the facilitation of mail-in voting across two presidential elections. In 2021, DeJoy introduced a decade-long reorganization plan aimed at achieving financial stability for USPS. However, the plan has been critiqued for allegedly slowing service, particularly affecting rural areas, due to the consolidation of mail processing centers and other operational changes.
The article was edited by Padmananda Rama.
