USPS Appoints FedEx's David Steiner as Postmaster General Amid Privatization Talks, Effective July

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has appointed David Steiner, a 65-year-old member of the FedEx board of directors, as the new postmaster general and CEO. Steiner, who previously served as CEO of Waste Management Inc., is set to join the agency in July, succeeding Louis DeJoy. The appointment was announced by Amber McReynolds, chairperson of the USPS Board of Governors. The appointment comes amid discussions about the future of the USPS, with President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency considering privatization as a potential solution to the agency's financial challenges. The USPS, with a budget of about $78 billion a year, has been facing significant financial difficulties, prompting a 10-year modernization and cost-cutting plan known as 'Deliver for America.' The agency serves nearly 167 million residences, businesses, and post office boxes across the country. Steiner's selection has raised concerns among postal unions, including the National Association of Letter Carriers and the American Postal Workers Union. Union leaders Brian L. Renfroe and Mark Dimondstein see it as a step toward privatization, arguing that Steiner's position on the board of FedEx, a competitor to the USPS, represents a conflict of interest. The unions have been vocal about their opposition to privatization, fearing job cuts and the end of the universal service obligation.