US Postal Service chief DeJoy resigns, but why?

US Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resigned from his post after the postal service has been the focus of intense scrutiny with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Besides, his resignation came at a time when the independent government agency faced calls for privatization and scrutiny from the Trump administration or overhauling the service.

Louis DeJoy led the effort to restructure the US postal service over the past five years since 2000.

In a statement provided by USPS, DeJoy said the 250-year service had made “beneficial changes to maintain positive trajectory.”

Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino will take the wheels as his successor until the USPS Board of Governors names a permanent replacement, said the statement from USPS.

DeJoy announced plans to step down in February.

His recruitment came as postmaster general after the service agency struggled to survive financial woes from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through the coronavirus pandemic and two high-turnout presidential elections, the former businessman and GOP donor headed the agency. The initiatives saw surges in mail-in ballots.

Unveiling a 10-year plan in 2021 to stem ongoing losses, the USPS postmaster general has sought to modernise the service.

Some of his plans drew criticism that his efforts to combine deliveries slowed them down ultimately.

USPS, which has 635,000 employees, lost $9.5bn last year. The government has excluded the agency from federal employee reductions directed by Doge.

However, the White House is yet to make comment immediately on whether the administration was involved in DeJoy’s departure.