Trump Eyes Post Office Merger; Lutnick Sworn In as Commerce Secretary; Apple to Invest “By a Factor of Ten”

In a busy February 2025 day at the White House, President Trump confirmed he was considering merging the U.S. Postal Service with the Commerce Department, calling the Post Office “a tremendous loser for this country” that was hemorrhaging money. Howard Lutnick was officially sworn in as Secretary of Commerce. Trump revealed that Apple CEO Tim Cook had visited the previous day and that Apple would be “spending a lot of money in the United States — more than they’ve ever spent by a factor of probably ten.” And Trump praised newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel, predicting he would “go down as the best ever at that position” and revealing that “the agents led the charge” for his appointment.

Post Office: “A Tremendous Loser”

A reporter asked Trump about reports that the administration was considering merging the Postal Service with the Commerce Department. Trump confirmed the discussions were underway.

“We want to have a post office that works well and doesn’t lose massive amounts of money,” Trump said. “And we’re thinking about doing that, and it will be a form of a merger, but it will remain the Postal Service.”

He projected optimism about the outcome. “And I think it will operate a lot better than it has been over the years,” Trump said. “It’s just a tremendous loser for this country. Tremendous amounts of money being lost.”

Trump indicated the specifics were still being worked out. “And we think we can do something that will be very good and keep it a very similar way. But whether it’s a merger or just using some of the very talented people that we have elsewhere, so it doesn’t lose so much,” he said. “It’s losing a tremendous amount of money.”

The U.S. Postal Service had reported net losses of approximately $6.5 billion in fiscal year 2024, continuing a streak of financial losses that had persisted for over fifteen years. The agency’s financial challenges stemmed from a combination of declining first-class mail volume, competitive pressure from private carriers like FedEx and UPS on package delivery, and structural obligations including a congressional mandate to pre-fund retiree health benefits.

Trump’s proposal to merge USPS with the Commerce Department would bring the quasi-independent agency under direct cabinet-level supervision. The move would give the administration’s efficiency-minded leadership — particularly the newly sworn-in Lutnick — a role in restructuring postal operations. The assurance that it would “remain the Postal Service” was designed to address concerns from rural communities and postal employees that the service might be privatized or eliminated.

Howard Lutnick Sworn In as Commerce Secretary

The day’s centerpiece event was the swearing-in of Howard Lutnick as Secretary of Commerce. Lutnick took the oath of office in a White House ceremony.

“I, Howard Lutnick, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God,” Lutnick recited.

“Congratulations, Mr. Secretary,” Trump said.

Lutnick’s confirmation had been closely watched because of the ambitious mandate Trump had given the Commerce Department. As Commerce Secretary, Lutnick would be responsible for implementing the reciprocal tariff system, quantifying nonmonetary trade barriers, overseeing export controls, and potentially managing a restructured Postal Service. His background as CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald gave him the financial services and management expertise that the role demanded.

The previous day, Lutnick had delivered an impassioned tribute to Trump at the governors’ meeting, calling him “the smartest, most thoughtful, and most intuitive person I’ve ever met” and pledging to balance the federal budget. His swearing-in formalized the relationship between the Wall Street executive and the government efficiency mandate that defined the Trump second term.

Apple: “More Than They’ve Ever Spent by a Factor of Ten”

Trump confirmed that Apple CEO Tim Cook had visited the White House the previous day and that a major investment announcement was forthcoming.

“He was here yesterday. I met with him at length,” Trump said. “And Apple is coming here with tremendous dollars. They’re going to be spending a lot of money in the United States — more than they’ve ever spent by a factor of probably ten.”

The “factor of ten” description suggested that Apple’s planned U.S. investment would dwarf any previous commitment the company had made. Apple had announced various U.S. investment plans over the years, including a $430 billion, five-year spending plan announced in 2021. A tenfold increase over previous spending levels would represent an extraordinary commitment of capital to American manufacturing, data centers, and technology infrastructure.

The investment was another data point in the wave of corporate commitments that had followed Trump’s election. SoftBank’s $100-200 billion, DAMAC’s $40 billion, the Oracle-OpenAI-SoftBank $500 billion AI consortium, and now Apple’s undisclosed but apparently massive commitment all pointed to the same conclusion: the business world was betting heavily on the Trump economy.

Trump’s casual revelation of the investment — similar to his disclosure at the governors’ meeting — reflected his approach to corporate partnerships: announce the commitment publicly, creating expectations that the company would be held to, and use each announcement as momentum for the next.

Kash Patel: “The Best Ever”

Trump devoted significant time to praising Kash Patel, who had been confirmed as FBI Director. His assessment was built around a specific claim about the bureau’s rank-and-file agents.

“The agents are very happy about Kash,” Trump said. “In fact, the agents led the charge to Kash. One of the reasons I loved Kash and wanted to put him in is because of the respect the agents had for him.”

Trump predicted that Patel’s tenure would be historically significant. “I think he’s going to be — I think he’ll go down as the best ever at that position,” Trump said.

He acknowledged that Patel’s confirmation had initially seemed uncertain. “It turned out he was very easy to get approved. You know, I was not sure,” Trump said. “Tough guy, strong guy. He has his opinions, and I wasn’t sure. He turned out to be very — he went very smoothly.”

Trump cited Trey Gowdy’s endorsement as a pivotal moment. “Even somebody like Trey Gowdy, who’s a very good guy but known as somewhat of a moderate person, he came out with a statement that was so incredible,” Trump said. “He said Kash is an incredible person. People don’t realize that. When he said that, there was no doubt left. It was really a big statement made by somebody that’s respected and on the moderate side.”

The Gowdy endorsement had been significant because it came from a former federal prosecutor and congressman who was known for his rigorous legal standards. Gowdy’s backing provided cover for any Republican senators who might have had reservations about Patel’s combative reputation.

Trump concluded with his signature prediction: “I will tell you, I think Kash is going to go down as maybe the best ever when it’s all said and done. So I’m glad he’s willing to do it.”

Key Takeaways

• Trump confirmed he was considering merging the U.S. Postal Service with the Commerce Department, calling USPS “a tremendous loser” while promising it would “remain the Postal Service.”
• Howard Lutnick was officially sworn in as Secretary of Commerce, taking on a mandate that included reciprocal tariffs, trade barrier quantification, and potentially postal restructuring.
• Trump revealed Apple would invest in the U.S. “more than they’ve ever spent by a factor of probably ten” after a meeting with CEO Tim Cook.
• He praised FBI Director Kash Patel, predicting he would “go down as the best ever at that position” and revealing that “the agents led the charge” for his appointment.
• Trump cited Trey Gowdy’s endorsement of Patel as a pivotal moment: “When he said that, there was no doubt left.”