Trump Opposes Funding for Postal Service, Says U.S. ‘Can’t Have’ Mail-In Voting Without It

The comments fueled allegations that Trump is blocking funding to the Postal Service to suppress voter participation in November.PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP said Thursday that he remains opposed to billions of dollars in funding for the U.S. Postal Service, noting that his position would deprive the service of money needed to process mail-in ballots this November. Trump's comments, which linked his long-standing opposition to mail-in ballots with his refusal to OK more funding for the cash-strapped Postal Service, fueled accusations that he is manipulating the postal system for political gain and to suppress voter participation. Recommended Videos Powered by AnyClip An important video title message Play Video NOW PLAYINGU.S. postal service shakeup sparks election fears Harris makes debut with Biden, slams Trump Voting By Mail, Explained Harris an elusive election target for Trump Kamala Harris is a 'risky' vice president pick, Donald Trump says [ MORE: Trump Encourages Mail Voting in Florida, but Sues in Nevada ] The comments also come amid mounting concerns from Democrats over recent changes at the Postal Service and potential political interference at the agency ahead of the election. During an interview on Fox Business, Trump said Democrats' requests for $3.5 billion in funding for election resources and $25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service were sticking points during negotiations over another coronavirus stimulus package. He also repeated allegations that mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud. Experts say there is not widespread voter fraud in the U.S., and there is no evidence that increased mail-in voting would lead to fraud. "Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work, so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said. "But if they don't get those two items that means you can't have universal mail-in voting because they're not equipped to have it," Trump said. Trump has railed against mail-in voting for months, attempting to draw a distinction between mail-in voting and absentee voting, which he has encouraged. Though the phrases are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference: Absentee voting requires voters to request a ballot, and in some cases provide an excuse, while a small number states automatically send voters ballots in the mail, a process sometimes dubbed "universal mail-in voting." A stimulus bill passed by the Democratic-controlled House earlier this summer approved $25 billion in funding for the Postal Service, which is facing massive budget shortfalls amid the coronavirus pandemic. That measure was dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Senate, and Democrats have since been pushing for $10 billion for the Postal Service in now-stalled negotiations over a compromise stimulus package. In July, a bipartisan group of senators, led by Republican Sen. Susan Collins from Maine, supported a bill to give the Postal Service $25 billion in funding. A spokesperson for former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said Trump was "sabotaging" the Postal Service to deprive people of the right to vote. "The President of the United States is sabotaging a basic service that hundred of million of people rely upon, cutting a critical lifeline for rural economies and for delivery of medicines, because he wants to deprive Americans of their fundamental right to vote safely during the most catastrophic public health crisis in over 100 years," Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement. Rep. Gerry Connolly, Virginia Democrat, said Trump's comments Thursday illustrate that the president is holding up funding to the Postal Service to limit voting in November. "The president amids his motive for holding USPS funding hostage is that he doesn't want Americans to vote by mail. Why? It hurts his electoral chances," Connolly, chairman of the House subcommittee on government operations, said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California responded to Trump's comments in an interview with MSNBC, noting that the $25 billion for the postal system was proposed by the agency's board of governors, not Democrats. Cartoons on the 2020 Election View All 227 Images Trump's comments came hours after Democratic lawmakers ratcheted up calls for greater oversight of the Postal Service and its new postmaster general, Louis DeJoy. DeJoy, a Trump ally and Republican donor, recently spearheaded a reorganization of the agency's top ranks, instituted a hiring freeze and enacted other operational changes. The money-saving measures are being blamed for a dramatic increase in recent mail delays. The agency also recently sparked fears over its handling of ballots when the Postal Service general counsel warned state election officials that usual classification practices for ballots would not ensure that the votes would be mailed in time to be counted. Officials advised states to use first-class postage on election mail instead of third-class postage, which typically has been used. Sending mail first-class is more than twice as expensive. In the past, postal workers have typically treated election mail as first-class mail even if it has third-class postage. Pelosi and House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York sent a letter to DeJoy on Wednesday laying out several concerns. The letter was signed by more than 170 Democratic lawmakers. "The House is seriously concerned that you are implementing policies that accelerate the crisis at the Postal Service, including directing Post Offices to no longer treat all election mail as First Class. If implemented now, as the election approaches, this policy will cause further delays to election mail that will disenfranchise voters and put significant financial pressure on election jurisdictions," the letter says. "We also remain concerned about a significant operational restructuring, done without any apparent analysis and consultation, which will weaken the ability of the Postal Service to respond to local needs," it says. Tags: Postal Service, Donald Trump, coronavirus, 2020 presidential election