WASHINGTON — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who spearheaded efforts to restructure the struggling U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for nearly five years, resigned effective immediately, the agency announced Monday.
DeJoy, a former logistics executive and major Republican donor, took the helm of the Postal Service in 2020 under then-President Donald Trump. His tenure was marked by fierce clashes with lawmakers over sweeping reforms to the agency, which has lost more than $100 billion since 2007.
Trump, who in February described USPS as a “tremendous loser for this country,” had floated the idea of merging the Postal Service with the Commerce Department—an idea that Democrats warned would violate federal law.
Earlier this month, DeJoy revealed that he had sought assistance from the government efficiency team led by billionaire Elon Musk to tackle USPS financial and operational challenges. He signed an agreement for reform assistance, though details remained sparse.
Despite previously asking the USPS governing board to identify his successor, DeJoy had not indicated plans for an abrupt departure. Musk recently voiced support for privatizing the Postal Service, a stance that has fueled further debate.
“Much work remains that is necessary to sustain our positive trajectory,” DeJoy said in his resignation statement, adding that Monday was his final day. Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino will serve as interim chief while the postal board searches for a permanent replacement.
Democratic lawmakers had long called for DeJoy’s removal but ultimately backed a $50 billion financial relief package for USPS in 2022. Under his leadership, the agency aggressively restructured operations, cutting projected 10-year losses from $160 billion to $80 billion despite mail volumes dropping to their lowest level since 1968.
In May, DeJoy agreed to temporarily pause further consolidation of the USPS processing network after senators raised concerns about potential mail delivery delays. His cost-cutting strategies mirrored tactics used by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including workforce reductions and contract renegotiations.
USPS, which employs 635,000 people and reported a $9.5 billion loss last year, had been exempt from DOGE-mandated federal job cuts. However, DeJoy announced earlier this month that the agency plans to shrink its workforce by 10,000 employees in the next month through a voluntary retirement program.
Last month, multiple media reports indicated that Trump was preparing an executive order to fire the USPS Board of Governors, a move that could have further reshaped the agency’s leadership. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has since suggested that USPS could play a role in reducing federal costs by assisting with the U.S. census and taking over some tasks performed by 20,000 Social Security employees.
DeJoy’s tenure was also marred by controversy over the agency’s handling of election mail. In 2020, he faced intense scrutiny from Democrats over mail delays, while in 2024, USPS processed at least 99.2 million ballots in the presidential election.
The White House has not commented on whether it played a role in DeJoy’s sudden resignation. Last week, the administration forced out the CEO of Amtrak, raising speculation about broader leadership changes across federal agencies.
