Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Thursday said former President Donald Trump and others are “wrong” to question the Postal Service’s ability to deliver ballots ahead of the presidential election.
Asked by a reporter, at a virtual preview of the 2024 election, to respond specifically to Trump’s claim that the Postal Service might deliberately misplace mail-in ballots, DeJoy responded tersely: “My response is like my response to everyone who says that we’re not prepared for the election — it’s that they’re wrong,” he said. “I don’t know that I need to comment any more than that. They’re wrong.”
Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 6, 2024.
Susan Walsh/AP, FILE
At the top of his prepared remarks, DeJoy pushed back on those engaging in rhetoric that undermines the public confidence in the Postal Service, which, DeJoy reminded reporters, had been delivering ballots since 1864.
“We recognize that election officials are under an extreme amount of pressure, and will remain so for at least the next two months,” he said. “We also recognize that the American public will become increasingly alarmed if there is ongoing dialogue that continues to question the reliability of the Postal Service for the upcoming elections.”
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump holds a campaign town hall meeting, moderated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in Flint, Mich., Sept. 17, 2024.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
“Let me be clear,” DeJoy continued. “The Postal Service is ready to deliver the nation’s mail in ballots.”
DeJoy said the Postal Service delivered 99.89% of ballots from voters to election officials in the 2020 election, which he called a “highly sensitive, sensationalized environment.”
In an interview with right-wing outlet Real America’s Voice from Las Vegas last week, former President Donald Trump escalated false and baseless claims about mail-in voting, even suggesting a possible lawsuit.
Absentee ballots are prepared to be mailed at the Wake County Board of Elections on Sept. 17, 2024 in Wilmington, N.C.
Allison Joyce/Getty Images
“I read the post office is saying how bad it is. The post office is critiquing themselves, saying we’re really in bad shape. We can’t deliver the mail. And they’re not even talking about mail in ballots, right? We’re going to dump millions and millions of dollars,” Trump said, repeating false claims that the last election was “rigged” and that the U.S. voting system is “bad.”
ABC News’ Soorin Kim contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
The Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, has recently refuted President Trump’s claims that the United States Postal Service (USPS) does not have the capacity to handle the influx of mail-in ballots for the upcoming presidential election. DeJoy, who was appointed by President Trump earlier this year, has stated that the USPS is fully capable of managing the increased volume of mail-in ballots and ensuring that they are delivered in a timely manner.
In a recent statement, DeJoy emphasized that the USPS has been preparing for the election for months and has implemented a number of measures to ensure that mail-in ballots are processed efficiently. These measures include increasing staffing levels, implementing new technology to track and process mail, and working closely with state and local election officials to coordinate ballot delivery.
DeJoy’s comments come in response to President Trump’s repeated claims that mail-in voting will lead to widespread fraud and chaos in the election. The President has also suggested that the USPS is not equipped to handle the volume of mail-in ballots that are expected to be cast this year.
However, DeJoy’s reassurances have been backed up by experts in the field of election administration. According to David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, the USPS has a long history of successfully handling large volumes of mail during peak periods, such as the holiday season. Becker also noted that many states have implemented measures to ensure that mail-in ballots are processed quickly and accurately.
Despite these assurances, concerns about the USPS’s ability to handle mail-in ballots persist. The agency has faced financial challenges in recent years, and there have been reports of delays in mail delivery due to cost-cutting measures implemented by DeJoy. These delays have raised concerns about the agency’s ability to deliver mail-in ballots on time.
In response to these concerns, DeJoy has stated that the USPS is committed to ensuring that all ballots are delivered in a timely manner and that every vote is counted. He has also emphasized the importance of voters requesting their mail-in ballots early and returning them as soon as possible to ensure that they are received and processed in time for the election.
Overall, while there may be some challenges ahead, it is clear that the USPS is taking steps to ensure that mail-in ballots are processed efficiently and accurately. With the election just weeks away, it is crucial that voters have confidence in the postal service’s ability to deliver their ballots securely and on time.
