This paper examines the Trump administrations recent signaling toward the privatization of the United States Postal Service (USPS). Since 2009, USPS has been on the Government Accountability Office's ‘high-risk list’ due to troubling finances and significantly declining profits. Trump uses this claim to support his argument for privatization; however, this does not contextualize the entire problem, nor does it explore the potential dangers of privatizing public services. Through the use of government documents, news articles, proposals, and academic papers, I will break down the components of this argument for privatization and explore the hypothetical impacts of such a maneuver. After analyzing USPS’ historical background, current debates, and projected outcomes, I will conclude with a set of policy recommendations based on these findings.
