A day after saying he would not sign off on extra money for the U.S. Postal Service to deal with an expected increase in voting by mail, President Donald Trump told reporters he would be open to the idea - but only if Democrats fully accepted a $1 trillion Coronavirus relief plan from the White House.
At a White House news conference on Friday afternoon, the President was asked if he would agree to about $30 billion in funding for the Postal Service.
"Sure, if they give us what we want," the President said, as he accused Democrats of standing in the way of a deal on extra relief aid.
Democrats did not immediately react, as they basically accused the President of creating delivery delays inside the Postal Service in hopes of damaging expanded voting by mail in November.
“Not sure why Democrats need to negotiate with a hostage taker,” said veteran Democratic strategist Jim Manley, as Democrats in Congress raised questions about reports from around the nation about changes being made at postal facilities.
I have been calling and emailing around the country regarding what, exactly is happening with the Postal Service, and I am alarmed. The delays are real, and they really are dismantling and removing machines. Also, importantly, Trump admitted what he's doing yesterday.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) August 14, 2020
Pres. Trump says he would accept $25 billion in funding for U.S. Postal Service, including billion in supplemental funding for election resources, if Democrats concede to series of of funding asks as coronavirus relief package stalls in Congress. https://t.co/7dpOBzPx1h pic.twitter.com/UIZ43hZMRP
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 14, 2020
The President's offer came as the Postal Service was telling state elections officials around the nation that they should warn voters about possible problems with the mail - and voting - in November.
"Even if a voter receives a ballot before Election Day, there is a significant risk that the voter will not have sufficient time to complete and mail the completed ballot back to election officials in time for it to arrive by the state's return deadline," the Postal Service told the Secretary of State of Michigan in a letter.
Similar letters were sent to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and other key states - all giving the same warning - that voters must be advised to return their ballots much earlier than Election Day.
In Michigan, the USPS letter suggested mailing absentee ballots back no later than October 27.
Voting activists have taken it a step further, ready to urge Americans to bypass the Postal Service altogether when it comes to returning a completed vote-by-mail or absentee-by-mail ballot.
So we need to educate people: you do need the Postal Service to receive your mail-in or absentee ballot but you do NOT need the Postal Service to deliver, ie vote, that same ballot. Can return to local elections office any time, or an in person early voting location, or drop box
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) August 14, 2020
Scoop: Postal workers union National Association of Letter Carriers endorses Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, assailing the Trump administration's actions and warning that the "survival" of the USPS is at stake. https://t.co/5aeEFDGaZD
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 14, 2020
In Arizona, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs asked her state’s Attorney General to investigate postal delays which have cropped up in recent weeks since the installation of a new Postmaster General by the President, suggesting it could be a crime if that resulted in voters not being able to cast a ballot in November.