Those concerns were amplified last week when Trump indicated to Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo that he opposed Democrats' proposed boost in funding for the U.S. Postal Service because he wants to make it harder to expand voting by mail.

"They want $25 billion for the post office. 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. Now, in the meantime, they aren't getting there. 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.

He later walked those remarks back, claiming his only goal is to ensure the integrity of the Nov. 3 election, although there is no evidence that mail ballot systems lead to the fraud Trump says he's worried about.

Pressure has been building since DeJoy took command of the Postal Service for him to answer questions about his announcement to "implement an organizational realignment" at the agency, reduce overtime for mail carriers and remove high-speed sorting machines.

DeJoy referenced his long-term plans for the agency in his statement Tuesday afternoon, writing, "I came to the Postal Service to make changes to secure the success of this organization and its long-term sustainability. I believe significant reforms are essential to that objective, and work toward those reforms will commence after the election."

Questions remain

In a call with press hosted by Democracy Fund, former Deputy Postmaster General Ronald Stroman said that while he applauds DeJoy for attempting to clarify what he envisioned for the agency, his statement actually raises more questions than it answers.

"[DeJoy] says that they're instituting this in an effort to avoid 'even the appearance of a problem'. And I think, you know, it's important to be candid here. As far as we can tell, this is more than just an appearance of a problem. There is delayed mail across the system, and I think it would have been good to be clear about the unintended consequences of implementing some of these actions ahead of the election," Stroman explained.

He also pointed out that DeJoy's statement doesn't make clear whether the policies are being suspended as of the issuance of the statement or will revert back to what they had been prior to DeJoy's intervention.

"The question becomes, have you already changed hours and are those hours then going to be reversed? Or are you saying that you're going to be at status quo for today?" Stroman questioned regarding DeJoy's promise that retail hours for post offices will not change.

Stroman says that questions still remain about the mail processing equipment and that more transparency is needed.

"If you've already dismantled some of the equipment or removed it, the fact that it's remaining as it is doesn't mean that you're going to reassemble that equipment or return it to the extent that it has been removed," he said.

Stroman added he still believes that voting by mail is safe and that people should feel confident doing it, but they should try to do it as early as possible.

In a statement, Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union said the "fight for the public Post Office is far from over."

"In order for postal workers to continue to carry out their vital work and deliver for the people every day, the USPS is in immediate need of $25 billion in Covid-related financial relief. It's time for Congress to deliver," the statement read.

Federal lawsuit

Also on Tuesday, attorneys general from at least 14 states announced a federal lawsuit saying the Trump administration violated procedure when changes were made by the postmaster general, claiming DeJoy acted outside his authority to make service cuts by limiting workers' overtime hours and removing some sorting equipment. The lawsuit says DeJoy should have sought approval from the post office's regulator, the Postal Regulatory Commission.

"For partisan gain, President Trump is attempting to destroy a critical institution that is essential for millions of Americans," Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement.

"We rely on the Postal Service for our Social Security benefits, prescriptions — and exercising our right to vote. Our coalition will fight to protect the Postal Service and uphold the rule of law in federal court," Ferguson continued.

On Monday, the AARP, the largest nonpartisan group advocating for Americans 50 and over, also urged DeJoy to suspend any changes to mail delivery operations.

Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer, told DeJoy in a letter that her group "has become increasingly concerned that recent changes in mail processing operations may be compromising the health and safety of millions of older Americans and may unduly restrict the ability of all Americans to safely participate in the upcoming elections, whether they choose to vote from home or in-person."

Top Republicans have pointed to the billions of dollars in loans that Congress has already approved for the Postal Service.

But if seniors weigh in with concerns from rural areas — particularly in states with competitive congressional contests — that could force GOP lawmakers to get behind legislation to preserve mail operations.

NPR's Deirdre Walsh and Pam Fessler contributed to this report.

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