Well, here we are again, folks. The U.S. Postal Service—once the pride of colonial America and an institution older than the country itself—is back in the crosshairs, and this time, President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering something radical: privatization. That’s right, a full-on departure from the federal government teat for an agency that’s been hemorrhaging money faster than a Washington bureaucrat can say “climate initiative.”
According to The Washington Post (which, let’s not forget, is owned by Jeff Bezos—a man whose Amazon empire essentially treats USPS as its private delivery service), Trump has been mulling over the idea at Mar-a-Lago. The discussions reportedly included Howard Lutnick, his commerce secretary pick, and a handful of transition team members. Let’s not kid ourselves here: the Postal Service has been a financial sinkhole for years. In fact, the agency just reported a $9.5 billion loss in the most recent fiscal year. That’s billion with a B.
REPORT: Trump Has Been Discussing Privatization Of The @USPS With His Choice For @CommerceGov Secretary.
The Postal Service Lost An Unbelievable $9.5 BILLION In The 2024 Fiscal Year That Ended Sept. 30.
That’s Up From A $6.5 BILLION Loss In 2023.
The Agency, Which Had A Total… pic.twitter.com/XRThbex5lu— John Basham (@JohnBasham) December 14, 2024
Now, of course, The Washington Post is clutching its pearls over what privatization might mean for e-commerce giants like Amazon. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Bezos owns the Post, Bezos’ Amazon benefits tremendously from USPS’ cut-rate delivery services, and now the Post is suddenly concerned about changes that could make Bezos’ life slightly less cushy. Conflict of interest? Nah, nothing to see here.
But Trump’s interest in shaking up the Postal Service isn’t just a whim. The incoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—yes, that’s a real thing, and no, Elon Musk isn’t just tweeting memes—has reportedly been exploring ways to streamline federal operations. That mission includes addressing “legacy agencies” like USPS, which many see as bloated and inefficient. DOGE co-leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy haven’t come out and said, “Let’s sell the Post Office to the highest bidder,” but the direction seems clear: major reforms are on the table.
And honestly, it’s about time. Take a look at the Biden administration’s postal fiasco. Remember the “green revolution” push to deliver 60,000 electric vehicles to the USPS? Well, as of now, the agency has a whopping 93 Oshkosh electric trucks. That’s right—93 trucks out of 60,000. Who’s running this operation, the DMV? Not only is this an embarrassing failure, but it highlights exactly why privatization might be the wake-up call the Postal Service so desperately needs. When there’s no real competition or accountability, inefficiency is inevitable.
Republican lawmakers are taking note. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who will chair the DOGE subcommittee, didn’t hold back when she posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the USPS’ wasteful spending “has to stop.” She’s not wrong. For years, taxpayers have been footing the bill for an agency that’s stuck in the past. Sure, it’s historic—Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General back in 1775—but being old doesn’t mean you’re effective. We’ve got private delivery services like UPS, FedEx, and, heck, even Amazon stepping up to meet the demands of a modern economy. Why should taxpayers keep shelling out for an outdated system?
Here’s another HUGE waste of money by the USPS!
$10 BILLION for electric postal trucks adding up to around $166K each.
The defense contractor was supposed to build 80 a day but has only made 93 in almost two year.
This is a Democrat Green New Deal scam that’s throwing your… pic.twitter.com/GXOxDCHJKP
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 13, 2024
Critics will argue that privatization could hurt rural communities or drive up costs, but let’s be real. If Amazon can get a package to your door in two days from the middle of nowhere, there’s no reason private carriers couldn’t find ways to serve everyone more efficiently. This isn’t about dismantling the Postal Service—it’s about forcing it to compete, innovate, and, dare I say it, turn a profit. Novel idea, right?
So, while Trump’s reported interest in privatizing USPS is bound to ruffle some feathers—especially among Democrats who cling to government control like it’s their lifeline—it’s a conversation worth having. The Postal Service may have been a revolutionary idea in 1775, but this is 2024, and Americans deserve better than a taxpayer-funded money pit. Let’s see if President-elect Trump can deliver.
