Trump’s Bold Move: FedEx Board Member Tapped to Head USPS, Sparks Privatization Fears

The Trump administration has reportedly reached an agreement with the leadership of the U.S. Postal Service to appoint a FedEx board member as the successor to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, raising alarms about potential moves towards the privatization of the agency.

According to a late Tuesday report by The Washington Post, the USPS Board of Governors, together with President Trump, is set to appoint former CEO of Waste Management, David Steiner, as the new leader of the Postal Service. Steiner is presently serving as the lead independent director at FedEx, which directly competes with the Postal Service.

Brian Renfroe, who heads the National Association of Letter Carriers—a union that represents around 300,000 active and retired letter carriers—described Steiner’s appointment as a significant push towards transferring control of the U.S. mail system to private entities.

“Private delivery companies have long sought to edge the USPS out of the parcel delivery sector,” Renfroe stated. “By choosing Steiner, it’s as if they’ve been openly invited to do so. This move goes beyond poor policy—it’s a direct attack on the employees who facilitate our mail services and maintain public connectivity. The repercussions will severely impact rural areas where the Postal Service is not merely a convenience, but a lifeline. Clearly, if this appointment goes through, it puts at risk 7.9 million jobs associated with the postal sector and services provided to over 300 million Americans.”

“The board is obligated to act in the best interest of the USPS,” he continued. “This decision not only fails to meet that obligation but also displays a stark disregard for the efforts of America’s letter carriers and the public welfare.”

“The Trump administration has persistently sought to privatize America’s most cherished public institution, both openly and covertly.”

The USPS Board of Governors, which currently includes two Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent member, holds the ultimate authority to appoint the leader of the postal services, a position that the president cannot directly terminate.

The Post also reported that in recent days, the postal governors, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, had presented three finalists for the postmaster general role to the White House, including Steiner.

“Trump has the opportunity to significantly influence the [postal board] immediately with five nominations: There are four vacant seats and one temporarily filled,” the Post highlighted. “Trump has announced his intention to nominate Anthony Lomangino, a Republican financier, for one of these positions.”

Earlier in the year, Trump momentarily considered a plan to dismiss all members of the postal board and bring the USPS under direct administrative control, but he soon abandoned this idea. He has also publicly supported the idea of privatizing the postal service, stating post his 2024 election victory that “it’s a concept many have favored for a long period.”

Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), a leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, expressed on Tuesday that “the Trump administration has been unyielding in its efforts to privatize America’s most trusted public institution, both overtly and covertly.”

Regarding Steiner’s proposed appointment, Connolly remarked, “If these reports hold true, it represents a glaring conflict of interest and shows Trump’s intent to appoint a staunch loyalist who he believes will prioritize his personal interests above the well-being of the Postal Service and the American public. The citizens of this country deserve a Postmaster General who will advocate for an independent, equitable, and accessible Postal Service, and who will collaborate with Congress to guarantee that Americans across all communities can continue to depend on this vital service for the delivery of mail, medications, ballots, and more, without bias.”