Jonathan Smith
Role at the time: President of the American Postal Workers Union, which represents USPS clerks and other postal employees
Statement summary
American Postal Workers Union President Jonathan Smith told Government Executive that the mail-in ballot executive order targets a problem that does not exist. He said it is meant to create chaos and put doubt in Americans' minds about voting by mail.
“It addresses a problem that does not exist It’s to create chaos and put doubt in the American people's minds about voting by mail.”
Government Executive interview with the APWU president on postal workers' training for the executive order's ballot-mail changes, published while the Supreme Court was considering the government's request.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
The reference point is implementing the mandatory USPS ballot-mail requirements for the 2026 election, under the executive order. Smith says the order addresses a problem that does not exist and is meant to create chaos and doubt about voting by mail. That rejects the order and the effort to carry it out, so we labeled it Condemned.