Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr on Tuesday announced the termination of the agency’s Biden-era diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
In the weeks after his historic election to become the 47th president, Trump picked Commissioner Brendan Carr to become the next FCC chairman.
As his first order as chairman, Carr called for the ending of the agency’s DEI group, more formally known as the Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC), which then-Chair Jessica Rosenworcel instituted in 2021.
Carr, according to a source familiar, has told the head of the CEDC that he will end the group’s operations.
He said in a written statement:
Promoting individious forms of discrimination runs contrary to the Communications Act and deprives Americans of their rights to fair and equal treatment under the law. It also represents a wasteful expenditure in promoting discriminatory DEI policies during the Biden administration. The FCC did so by embedding DEI in its strategic priorities, budget requests, advisory groups, rulemaking proceedings, and many other components of its official work.
Carr said that his actions order will:
- Eliminate the promotion of DEI from the agency’s strategic plan
- Scrap the promotion of DEI from its budget
- Rescind the FCC’s DEI Equity Action Plan, its DEI Task Force, and eliminate DEI from its Advisory Committee Directive
- Stop including promotion of DEI from its Annual Performance Plan
- And stop DEI analysis from FCC Economic Reports
“The FCC will focus on competently carrying out the agency’s statutory mission,” Carr concluded in his statement.
The DEI council sought to, among other things:
… make recommendations to the Commission on how to accelerate the entry of small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities, into the media, digital news and information, and audio and video programming industries, including as owners, suppliers, and employees. This Committee is intended to provide an effective means for stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop recommendations to the Commission on access to capital, small business mentoring, upskilling for employment in media and technology industries, media ownership diversity, and procurement opportunities. [Emphasis added]
The move follows as Trump called to end DEI across the executive branch and other agencies. His executive order will:
…terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” offices and positions (including but not limited to “Chief Diversity Officer” positions); all “equity action plans,” “equity” actions, initiatives, or programs, “equity-related” grants or contracts; and all DEI or DEIA performance requirements for employees, contractors, or grantees.
On Monday, Carr thanked the president for designating him as the leader of the FCC. He said in a written statement:
The FCC has important work ahead—on issues ranging from tech and media regulation to unleashing new opportunities for jobs and growth through agency actions on spectrum, infrastructure, and the space economy. We will also advance America’s national security interests and protect consumers.
“I am eager to accelerate the FCC’s work on these and other fronts. I look forward to collaborating with the Trump Administration, my Commission colleagues, and the FCC’s talented staff as well as Congress to deliver great results for the American people,” Carr added.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
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