Republicans defend, Democrats decry changes at the USPS, as losses in 2024 were nearly $10B

President Donald Trump is standing by Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk in spite of criticism from Democrats from Illinois and around the country.

Union leaders led rallies on Sunday to protest potential changes to the U.S. Postal Service. Trump has suggested a move to privatize the agency or merge it into the Department of Commerce.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, posted a video on X from a downtown Chicago rally on Sunday. Durbin said he opposed Musk and others who want to privatize USPS.

“The U.S. Postal Service was created in the Constitution. Most people don’t know that, but they do know that they can count on the postal service every day, six days a week,” Durbin said. “Now there are those in Washington, Elon Musk and others, who want to privatize the postal service. I am opposed to that. Let’s keep it an independent agency above politics.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also spoke at the rally and pledged his support for workers.

Trump defended Musk at a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

“He’s a patriot more than anything else. He’s never, think of it, he has never asked me for a thing. He could have. I always say, ‘I wonder if he’s ever going to ask me for something,’” Trump said.

The U.S. Postal Service reported a $9.5 billion net loss in fiscal year 2024.

Chicago Flips Red Vice President Danielle Carter-Walters said she supports Trump’s suggestion to privatize or merge USPS.

“We have companies like Amazon, these big billion-dollar companies, that use the postal service to send their packages because they’re saving them money,” Carter-Walters told The Center Square.

Carter-Walters said Trump is working on behalf of the people.

“They always want to say that President Trump, he’s for the rich. No, he’s not for the rich. He wants the rich to pay their fair share, just like we the regular people have to pay,” Carter-Walters said.