USPS to Cut 10,000 Jobs as DeJoy Strikes Deal with Musk’s DOGE Team
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the General Services Administration to help address financial issues at the U.S. Postal Service. As part of the plan, USPS will cut 10,000 jobs in the next month through a voluntary early retirement program. DeJoy has called the Postal Service’s business model "broken" and said it faces major financial challenges, having lost nearly $100 billion in recent years. DOGE, which has been working across government to reduce spending, will assist in finding additional cost-saving measures.
The deal has sparked criticism from lawmakers and postal workers. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) accused DeJoy of allowing DOGE to "undermine, privatize, and then profit off Americans’ loss." The National Association of Letter Carriers also pushed back, warning that privatization could jeopardize universal service and millions of jobs. Meanwhile, the Postal Regulatory Commission disputed DeJoy’s claims that regulatory burdens are to blame, arguing USPS has mismanaged billions in financial assistance.
Trump, who has floated merging USPS with the Commerce Department, has denied plans to fire the agency’s board of governors, though reports suggest he has considered it. Musk, a key Trump adviser, has openly supported privatizing the Postal Service. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has even suggested USPS could take over tasks from other federal agencies to cut costs. As the agency moves forward with its restructuring, concerns remain about how these changes will impact mail delivery, particularly for rural Americans.
