Steven Sloan, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service has ceased work on a computer system that was integral to President Donald Trump's initiative to limit mail voting, following a Supreme Court ruling that rejected his executive order this week.
"There's an injunction so we're not doing anything," Postmaster General David Steiner stated in an interview with The Associated Press.
Steiner, who previously served as chief executive of Waste Management, has been leading the postal service through various political and financial challenges over the past year. He is advocating for legislative changes to address what he describes as a "liquidity crisis."
Trump's attempts to significantly reduce mail voting placed the postal service in a position of determining voter eligibility just months ahead of the midterm elections, a role Steiner appeared reluctant to embrace. Unlike Trump, who criticized the Supreme Court decision and some justices, Steiner refrained from commenting on the court's ruling.
Steiner emphasized his role as the head of an "independent agency of the executive branch," stating that his influence over the president's order was limited to operational aspects. "I don't get to decide what rules that are put on us that I decide to accept or not accept," he said. "I looked at it more from the execution side."
The postal service has previously asserted its independence, including during a 2019 conflict when the Trump administration attempted to exert pressure on the agency amid a dispute involving Amazon. Steiner declined to elaborate on the nuances of that situation.
There has been speculation about Steiner's potential resignation due to the intense pressure, which he denied. "There's no truth to that," he said. "I think I know the motivation behind it. I think it's somebody that would like to see me out of a job."
The executive order signed by Trump in March directed federal agencies to create state citizenship lists. These lists were intended to be submitted to an online portal at the Postal Service, which would then send mail ballots only to voters cleared through this process. Steiner acknowledged he was aware of the order about a month prior to its announcement but focused primarily on implementation rather than the policy's implications.
A whistleblower report released earlier this month by Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., claimed the system was hastily constructed and fraught with errors. Steiner noted he had read "portions" of the report and recognized the challenges of building such a large platform quickly. He expressed confidence in his colleagues and had intended to unveil the system around September 15.
"There's absolutely no doubt that we worked fast," he said. "My personal opinion is it was a monumental task and I'm very proud of our IT department for being able to do it that fast."
In addition to the voter list, Trump's order would have mandated states to implement a uniform envelope style with barcodes, which states indicated would be difficult to achieve so close to the election.
Following the Supreme Court's decision, a memo sent to postal service employees stated that the agency would not enforce any new rules for the 2026 federal election. "First and foremost, for Election Mail it is business as usual," the memo read. "We continue to follow established protocols, and we remain entirely focused on our core mission: delivering the mail safely and securely for voters and election officials across the country."
Although the Supreme Court rejected Trump's executive order for this year's election, Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested he might support the administration's stance if the issue arises again in the future.
Steiner indicated that the postal service would still promote the use of envelopes and barcodes in upcoming elections, which it has long recommended. He clarified that while these changes would not be mandatory, those who do not comply may incur higher costs. "If you use the barcode in the envelope, we'll charge you a lower price," he said. "If you don't, we're going to charge you a higher price because it's harder for us to process."
While the postal service is not proceeding with Trump's order, concerns remain regarding postmark delays that could affect this year's elections. Data has shown a significant increase in the number of ballots rejected due to late postmarks in vote-by-mail states like Washington and Oregon. Steiner stated there are no plans to change postal operations and advised voters to submit their ballots early. "We say seven days," he said. "Everything is solved if people vote early."