Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is preparing to step down from his role as the leader of the U.S. Postal Service, according to an announcement Tuesday.
DeJoy tasked the agency's Board of Governors to begin the process of identifying a successor. In a letter to the board Monday, he said he would commit his time and energy into facilitating that transition to ensure long-term success for the next Postmaster General and the Postal Service. A specific timeline for the transition wasn't outlined in the announcement or the letter.
"The major initiatives we are currently endeavoring are multi-year programs and it is important to have leadership in place whose tenure will span this future period," DeJoy said in the announcement. "After four and half years leading one of America’s greatest public institutions through dramatic change during unusual times, it is time for me to start thinking about the next phase of my life, while also ensuring that the Postal Service is fully prepared for the future."
DeJoy's announcement kicks off the winding down of a tenure that has featured large-scale operational changes, service challenges and shifting package delivery priorities under his "Delivering for America" overhaul plan. The plan has seen its share of detractors, but DeJoy has remained steadfast in his belief that "Delivering for America" will help the financially ailing agency over the long term.
“The Postal Service has ironclad plans to reduce costs by over $4 billion annually, raise revenue by over $5 billion and adjust its operating network to integrate the delivery of all mail and package categories, achieving service standards that make modern-day sense and compete in the marketplace,” DeJoy said.
DeJoy’s step down comes after The Washington Post reported President Donald Trump was considering plans to privatize the Postal Service and replace its current leader, although the postmaster general is selected by the Board of Governors, not the president.
Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the Board of Governors, said in the announcement that DeJoy "has fought hard for the women and men of the Postal Service and to ensure that the American people have reliable and affordable service for years to come."
