Donald Trump’s postmaster general backs down on mail service cuts after election outcry
- US president continues attack on postal ballots, speculating that November poll will have to be redone
- Critics have accused Trump of trying to suppress mail-in voting to boost his chances against rival Joe Biden
US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Tuesday suspended all mail service changes until after the November election, bowing to an outcry by Democrats that the moves appeared to be an attempt to boost President Donald Trump’s re-election chances.
The reversal follows charges by Democrats and others that service cuts could slow the handling of mail-in ballots, the use of which is expected to skyrocket for the election as the coronavirus pandemic raises fears of crowds.
These critics have accused the Republican president of trying to hobble the Postal Service to suppress mail-in voting as he trails Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden in opinion polls ahead of the November 3 election.
Trump has repeatedly and without evidence claimed that an increase in mail-in ballots would lead to a surge in fraud, though mail-in voting has long been used in the United States.
Changes that threaten to slow mail delivery – and in some cases, already have – include reductions in overtime, restrictions on extra mail transportation trips, and new mail sorting and delivery policies, enacted in an attempt to cut costs.