First Amtrak, Then USPS… Trump & Musk Are Putting Government Services on the Auction Block

If you’ve ever thought, “Wow, I sure wish the Post Office ran more like Uber,” then good news… Trump and Musk are making moves to privatize as much government-owned business as humanly possible. Amtrak is likely getting sold. USPS could be heading to the auction block. At this rate, don’t be surprised if the DMV starts offering tiered subscription plans for faster service.

(Source: Fast Company)

Speaking of Amtrak, their CEO Stephen Gardner just punched his one-way ticket out, resigning in a move that had all the subtlety of a boardroom coup. Officially, Gardner said he stepped down “to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.” In other words: Trump and his team are ready for a fight, and Gardner didn’t want to be the guy standing in the way when the budget axe starts swinging.

And why wouldn’t they? Trump’s been trying to cut Amtrak’s federal funding since his first term, and Musk, now the unofficial czar of “Government Waste Reduction,” has been openly advocating for the privatization of the rail service. During a March conference, Musk said, “I think we should privatize the Post Office and Amtrak, for example. We should privatize everything we possibly can.” If Musk had it his way, your next Amtrak ticket would probably be tied to a Dogecoin transaction, and the trains would be fully self-driving (but still stuck in Penn Station for three hours).

The catch is that Amtrak technically operates as a for-profit company, but American tax dollars (aka: you and me) still foot the bill when the books don’t balance. And they usually don’t. Despite record ridership in 2024, Amtrak continues to rely on public funds to keep the wheels turning. Just last year, Congress approved $2.42 billion in funding for track maintenance and operations. That’s a lot of taxpayer cash going toward an enterprise that, if privatized, would have to find a way to sink or swim on its own.

Of course, history hasn’t been too kind to privatized rail systems. Amtrak was quick to remind everyone that Great Britain’s experiment with privatized rail service was, to put it mildly, a dumpster fire. After three decades of higher fares, constant delays, and bankrupt operators, the UK had to renationalize its rail system. But hey, maybe America will get it right on the first try.

The Post Office has long been the go-to example of a bloated government entity… losing billions every year while still somehow delivering your Amazon package faster than FedEx. In 2023, the USPS reported a $6.5 billion net loss, despite Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year restructuring plan. Privatization talks have floated around for years, but under Trump 2.0, the idea is gaining serious momentum. If Musk has his way, your next USPS delivery might come with surge pricing.

With Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy already reviewing funding for mass transit projects, Amtrak and USPS could be just the beginning. Privatized highways and TSA screenings brought to you by Delta Airlines are not out of the realm of possibility. If the government can offload it as a private business and stop funding it, it will likely be on the table.

Regardless of where this goes, one thing is obvious… Trump and Musk’s dream of a privatized America is moving full steam ahead (pun intended).

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Stock.News has positions in Uber and Amazon.