NEWLY appointed Postmaster General David Steiner has called for positive change within the agency, seeing its challenges as opportunities for a competitive future.

Steiner’s message follows fears from postal workers that mail services would be axed if he were chosen.

Steiner, a FedEx board member whose appointment was backed by the White House, will formally take his post as the head of the US Postal Service in July as long as he passes the necessary background and ethics checks.

He will be replacing the current acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino, who took on the role after former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resigned in March.

In a statement released Friday, Steiner said it was an “incredible honor” to be chosen to head the USPS.

He said he stood firm in “maintaining its role as an independent establishment of the executive branch.”

His comments come after President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) suggested possibly privatizing the USPS.

DeJoy resigned after almost five years as postmaster general following a reported conflict with DOGE over access to the USPS.

Steiner said he looks forward to “working with industry associations, customers, and policymakers, as we chart a positive path forward.”

“I am excited by the challenges ahead and by the many opportunities to shape a vibrant, durable and increasingly competitive future for the Postal Service,” he added.

CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE

When rumors started circulating of Steiner’s appointment, postal unions, such as the National Association of Letter Carriers, slammed the decision given what they saw as “a clear conflict of interest.”

The NALC, which represents nearly 300,000 active and retired postal workers, feared that Steiner’s ties to the private sector would harm the USPS’ future, calling the agency’s expected appointment an “aggressive step.”

Steiner made it a point to mention the backbone of the agency, the postal workers, in Friday’s statement.

“As the entity with the largest union membership in the United States, I look forward to engaging with the unions and management associations to ensure that together we create a world-class employment experience,” he said.

Postal workers were also concerned that Steiner’s anticipated appointment could be a step toward the privatization of the USPS, which they say would put jobs at risk and diminish services.

“Private shippers have been waiting to get USPS out of parcel delivery for years,” the NALC said, adding, “Steiner’s selection is an open invitation to do just that.”

“The damage will hit rural communities hardest, where the Postal Service isn’t just a convenience—it’s a lifeline,” the union said.

Steiner’s background includes a 12-year stint as president and CEO of Waste Management.

As the leader of Waste Management, Steiner had faced backlash for allegedly acting against unions and replacing workers with automation.

“He built his brand on union-busting, slashing jobs, and replacing workers with machines,” the NALC said.

“Now, he’s being handed the keys to one of the nation’s largest unionized employers.”

In March, before his resignation, DeJoy said the agency would cut its workforce by 10,000 through voluntary buyouts.