With the midterm elections just weeks away, a senior House Democrat is demanding the removal of Postmaster General David Steiner, accusing him of turning the U.S. Postal Service into an instrument of the Trump administration's legally contested effort to overhaul mail-in voting.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Steiner has refused to commit to complying with federal court orders that have blocked key provisions of President Trump's executive order on mail ballots while litigation proceeds. Two federal courts have already ruled that parts of the order cannot take effect before the legal challenges are resolved, but the administration is now asking the Supreme Court to set those rulings aside.
"Steiner has allowed the Postal Service to become the enforcement arm of an unprecedented and legally contested effort by the executive branch to rewrite the rules governing mail-in voting," Krishnamoorthi wrote in a statement. "He has refused to explain how the agency will comply with federal court orders, refused to reassure the public that ballots will be delivered free from political interference, and refused to answer the oversight questions Congress is entitled to ask."
The congressman's call comes as the administration's emergency appeal to the Supreme Court could upend voting procedures for tens of millions of Americans who rely on absentee ballots. Service members stationed overseas, seniors, rural residents, and working parents are among those who depend on the mail to cast their votes, Krishnamoorthi noted.
"The Postal Service's independence exists precisely so that no president — Republican or Democrat — can use it to advantage one political party or burden another," he said. "Americans must know that their ballots will be delivered according to the law, not according to political directives from the White House."
Krishnamoorthi argued that Steiner's refusal to answer to Congress and his failure to guarantee compliance with a federal injunction are disqualifying. "A postmaster general who cannot commit to complying with a federal court order has forfeited the basic trust the position requires," he wrote.
The standoff mirrors broader tensions over the administration's aggressive use of executive power. Earlier this year, the Senate narrowly confirmed Attorney General Blanche amid skepticism about his independence, and the administration has faced repeated court challenges over its policies. Krishnamoorthi's demand also echoes calls from other Democrats for accountability, including demands for the resignation of Rep. Max Miller over abuse allegations.
"Steiner has had months to show Congress and the country that he will protect the Postal Service's independence and the ballots it carries," Krishnamoorthi said. "He has not done so. He should resign or be removed, and if he will not step down on his own, the Board of Governors should not wait for him to change course."
The Postal Service has not publicly responded to Krishnamoorthi's call. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the administration's emergency request in the coming days, a decision that could determine whether the contested rules take effect before Election Day.
