A FedEx board member and former CEO of Waste Management is in line to become the next postmaster general after the rocky tenure of Louis DeJoy. David Steiner will take over in July after he clears standard ethics and security checks, reports the AP. The announcement came Friday from Amber McReynolds, chairperson of the USPS Board of Governors, but Steiner has the strong backing of President Trump, the Washington Post reported earlier this week. The move comes as the USPS faces both financial challenges and a debate over privatization.
In fact, Steiner's appointment already has drawn sharp criticism from postal unions, who cite his FedEx ties as evidence of creeping privatization. National Association of Letter Carriers president Brian Renfroe called the selection "an aggressive step toward handing America's mail system over to corporate interests," citing FedEx as a top USPS competitor. Mark Dimondstein, head of the American Postal Workers Union, described the choice as akin to "a fox guarding a hen house," arguing it puts the future of the public postal system at risk.
Steiner, who will exit his board position at FedEx, said in a statement that "I believe strongly in maintaining its role as an independent establishment of the executive branch." The Wall Street Journal has more on Steiner's background, including his stint as CEO of Waste Management from 2004 through October 2016. "He streamlined operations, improved the company's financial performance and safety record, and worked to improve employee morale," per the story.
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The USPS, with almost 167 million delivery points and an annual budget of around $78 billion, is midway through a 10-year modernization plan aimed at staunching financial losses, per NPR. The "Deliver for America" initiative has seen mixed reviews, including criticism over rising postage costs, mail delays, and service cuts. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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