President-elect Donald Trump's pick for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, revealed that the agency's emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) will cease starting next year. Carr, the current senior Republican member of the FCC, shared a snippet of the agency's budget request for Fiscal Year 2025, indicating that promoting DEI was a key strategic goal that will be discontinued.
The FCC's budget request highlighted pursuing a 100% broadband policy as its primary strategic goal, with promoting DEI listed as the second-highest priority. The agency aimed to understand how its rules and programs could impact diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and planned to address barriers that hinder disadvantaged individuals and communities.
The FCC acknowledged the importance of having a diverse workforce to enhance decision-making processes and benefit all Americans. Following the promotion of DEI, the agency outlined goals to empower consumers, enhance public safety and national security, advance America's global competitiveness, and foster operational excellence.
Trump's announcement of Carr as the FCC chairman nominee praised him as a champion of free speech and a supporter of rural America. Carr, who has served on the commission since 2017 and received unanimous Senate confirmation three times, expressed his stance on ending the FCC's promotion of DEI with a GIF captioned 'Afuera (get out).' Despite his bipartisan support, Carr's decision to shift the agency's focus away from DEI has sparked discussions about the future direction of the FCC under his leadership.
