Postmaster General David Steiner reportedly wants to resign from the U.S. Postal Service after facing intense pressure over President Donald Trump's efforts to restrict mail-in voting. While the agency and Steiner deny the resignation rumors, the USPS has officially halted work on a controversial ballot-verification computer system following a Supreme Court injunction. The halt marks a major setback for Trump's midterm election rules, which Steiner defended during a bruising June Senate hearing.
Steiner resignation reports
- ▪David Steiner, who took office in July 2025, originally told United States Postal Service board members during his hiring process that he planned to serve for approximately two years
- ▪Postmaster General David Steiner has told individuals close to him that he wants to resign from his post at the United States Postal Service due to intense political and financial pressures
USPS denial statement
- ▪The United States Postal Service denied reports of David Steiner's planned resignation, stating that the rumors have "absolutely zero validity."
- ▪Postmaster General David Steiner denied rumors of his resignation in a September 17, 2026 interview, claiming the resignation rumors were motivated by someone who wanted to see him out of a job
Trump mail-ballot executive order
- ▪A whistleblower report released in September 2026 by Senator Richard Blumenthal argued that the Trump administration's proposed mail-in ballot verification system was hastily built and riddled with errors
- ▪President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March directing federal agencies to build a system requiring states to hand over voter lists and use unique barcodes for mail-in ballots
Supreme Court injunction
- ▪The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's mail-in ballot verification plan on September 14, 2026, dealing a significant setback to the White House's midterm election rules
- ▪Following the Supreme Court's ruling this week blocking President Trump's mail-in ballot verification executive order, Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicated he might rule in favor of the Trump administration's mail-in ballot rules if the issue of mail-in ballot verification returns to the court later
Senate hearing pressure
- ▪At the June 2026 Senate hearing, Senator Josh Hawley called for David Steiner to refuse his bonus, which included a 2025 relocation bonus worth 50 percent of his $346,780 salary
- ▪During a June 2026 Senate hearing, lawmakers interrogated David Steiner over mail delivery delays, his compensation, and whether the United States Postal Service was acting as a pawn for President Donald Trump
Debatable claims
- ▪The U.S. Postal Service should play a role in verifying voter eligibility
- ▪States should be required to use unique barcodes for mail-in ballots
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