President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering privatizing the United States Postal Service (USPS), according to a report from the Washington Post.
Three individuals familiar with the discussions told the outlet that Trump has been consulting with Howard Lutnick, his pick for Commerce Secretary, about implementing a sweeping “overhaul” of the USPS.
Although specific details of Trump’s plans for the USPS remain unclear, one source indicated that the president-elect had met with a group of transition officials to explore the possibility of privatizing the postal agency.
Trump has long been critical of the USPS, calling it “a joke.” He has repeatedly advocated for significant reforms, including raising package delivery rates to address its financial woes. “The Postal Service should raise the price of their packages by approximately four times,” Trump said in previous statements, arguing that such measures could help the USPS emerge from its debt.
During his first term, Trump formed a task force to evaluate the USPS’ operations. The task force’s findings, reported by Axios, suggested raising shipping rates for certain packages as a way to stabilize the agency’s finances.
Critics of the USPS have often pointed to its financial struggles, noting that the agency has been burdened by legacy costs and a declining volume of traditional mail. Proponents of privatization argue that private carriers have managed to operate more efficiently in the competitive logistics market.
“The government is slow, slow, slow—decades slow on adopting new ways of doing things,” said Casey Mulligan, former chief economist for the Council of Economic Advisers under Trump. “There’s a lot of [other] carrier services that became legal in the ’70s that are doing things so much better with increased volumes and reduced costs.” Mulligan added, “We didn’t finish the job in the first term, but we should finish it now.”
The push to privatize the USPS is likely to spark intense debate, given its role as a vital public service. For millions of Americans, particularly in rural areas, the USPS serves as a lifeline for mail and package delivery. Opponents of privatization argue that turning the USPS into a profit-driven entity could lead to reduced services and higher costs for consumers. They also emphasize the potential loss of jobs for thousands of postal workers.
Privatization proponents, however, see an opportunity to modernize the postal system and address inefficiencies that have plagued it for decades. Advocates suggest that private management could introduce innovative technologies and streamline operations to better compete with companies like FedEx and UPS.
Trump’s reported interest in privatizing the USPS aligns with his broader approach to reducing the size of government and outsourcing federal services to private entities. Whether this proposal gains traction will likely depend on support from Congress and the American public, as well as the feasibility of implementing such a massive overhaul.
As discussions around the USPS’ future continue, the stakes remain high for an agency that has been a cornerstone of American life for centuries. The path forward could reshape how Americans send and receive mail, with profound implications for both consumers and the broader economy.
4 Comments
I don’t know… Postal service has already raised their prices and I cringe. I think as it stands postal prices are lower than Fedx and Ups. As far as delivery service in a post office in my area there is always a line and not a lot of people behind the counter? But my post man who delievers my mail at home is the greatest. He was out on a medical leave and the neighborhood got fill in postal workers they were young and inconsistent with delivery it just seemed like a job to them and not taken seriously.
Our local post office is “manned” by a single woman. She states it is to cut costs. I was in there to send just a registered letter and waited 20 minutes for her to get back from “break” since there was no one there. This is a Post Office on a major artery in our Capital City.
This registered letter was sent to an adjacent town just 10 miles away… it took four days! Why? because they send it 40 miles in the opposite direction, resort it, and send it PAST the original post office to the other post office, where a contracted carrier delivers the mail in the semi-rural area. Over $4.00 for this “service”.
I also sent a priority mail envelope with documents to Michigan… took TEN DAYS to get there, and stamped return Priority mail envelope that was in the original took ELEVEN days back. It would have been TWELVE, but I inquired with our local carrier about where in the hell is was… he said he would look for it,and came back with it later that day… it had been sitting in the post office for 3 days. For this “Priority” service… over $10. each way.
Between the slow service, rising costs and skeleton crews it is no wonder that the USPS is losing customers, and revenue to package services. When you look at the tracking info, many times the package has left a facility, to return to the same facility; just to leave again. Too many Biden-brained people are gumming up the works.
I like this plan. I can’t wait for the 1st 30 day postal strike by the Teamsters Union!
It’s already expensive, but I am all for privatization. Government is extremely inefficient. Heck, we should privatize most of the government functions.