Louis DeJoy stepped down as Postmaster General and CEO of the U.S. Postal Service on Monday as questions swirl about the agency’s direction under the Trump administration.
Doug Tulino, deputy postmaster general, will lead the Postal Service as acting postmaster general until the agency's Board of Governors selects a permanent successor.
"I believe strongly that the organization is well positioned and capable of carrying forward and fully implementing the many strategies and initiatives that comprise our transformation and modernization, and I have been working closely with the Deputy Postmaster General to prepare for this transition," DeJoy said in a statement.
DeJoy telegraphed his departure in February, when he announced his intent to step down from the Postal Service. His exit ends a nearly five-year tenure that ushered in various large-scale changes for the financially ailing agency's network, including facility consolidations and transportation shakeups.
DeJoy also pushed to strengthen the Postal Service's competitive standing versus private carriers like FedEx and UPS through new product launches. Additionally, he worked to overhaul USPS’ relationships with package consolidators that rely on the agency.
The USPS’ board has retained global leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder to spearhead the search for the agency’s next postmaster general and CEO, according to a news release Monday. The board's members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, who oversee the agency as an independent establishment of the executive branch.
“The Postal Service plays an essential role in American life and, as we navigate a critical period of transformation and modernization, the Governors of the Postal Service are committed to ensuring strong and visionary leadership for the organization,” said Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the Board of Governors, in the release.
The search comes as the Trump administration considers potential shifts to the Postal Service.
President Donald Trump has expressed interest in placing the Postal Service within the Commerce Department. He has also floated the idea of privatization, a move supported by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, an influential voice in the administration. Musk's Department of Government Efficiency signed an agreement with the Postal Service earlier this month to find more ways it can cut costs.
Trump in recent days had been preparing to oust DeJoy from his role as postmaster general, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.
"Make no mistake, Louis DeJoy was forced out by a presidential administration that is intent on breaking up and selling off the public Postal Service," Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said in a statement.
