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NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-06-24 11:19:00 — www.npr.org
President Trump’s Executive Order on Mail Voting Sparks Legal and Political Controversy for USPS
President Trump’s executive order seeking to restrict voting by mail has placed the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) at the center of a heated legal and political battle, as detailed in recent congressional testimony and reporting. The order calls for the Postal Service to use information from state election officials to create lists of approved mail voters, a move that has triggered multiple lawsuits and widespread criticism.
Trump’s Order and USPS Response
In response to the executive order, USPS recently proposed regulations that would require states to provide absentee voter lists to the federal government. When asked by Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan whether USPS would mail ballots for states refusing to turn over these lists, Postmaster General David Steiner stated, “Under our proposed regulation, no. We would tell the state that we need the manifest.” This proposal, directly tied to Trump’s directive, has raised alarm among voting rights advocates and state officials.
Legal and Constitutional Challenges
The Trump administration’s order has prompted lawsuits from nearly two dozen Democratic-led states and voting rights groups. Plaintiffs argue that the Constitution grants the authority to set federal election rules to state legislatures and Congress—not the president—and that USPS lacks the legal power to refuse ballot delivery based on Trump’s criteria. The entire Senate Democratic caucus has also called on USPS to abandon the proposed regulation and return to its core mission of providing universal postal services.
Political Fallout and Unanswered Questions
At a recent Senate confirmation hearing, Trump’s nominees for the Postal Service board of governors, Jeffrey Brodsky and William Gallo, declined to directly answer whether USPS should play a role in deciding who can vote by mail, as outlined in Trump’s order. Gallo remarked, “As far as I’m concerned, you have to have the courts and Congress make the decision.”
Conclusion
President Trump’s executive order on mail voting has thrust the USPS into a contentious debate over election integrity, federal authority, and the agency’s independence. The ongoing legal challenges and political scrutiny underscore the far-reaching implications of Trump’s actions for both the Postal Service and the nation’s electoral process.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/24/nx-s1-5859334/us-postal-service-david-steiner