AT&T Commits To End Its DEI Programs To Appeal To Trump Admin – Blavity
On Monday, AT&T announced it will cut its DEI programs, eliminating any roles focused on DEI and ending DEI-related training. The decision comes as AT&T seeks the Federal Communications Commission’s approval to acquire wireless spectrum licenses in a $1.02 billion deal. Other wireless carriers, T-Mobile and Verizon Communications, previously ended their DEI programs and received approval for their own deals.
AT&T said it is ending its DEI programs in a letter to the FCC
AT&T wrote to the FCC’s chairman, Brendan Carr, to announce its decision to cut its DEI programs on Monday.
“The legal landscape governing diversity, equity, and inclusion (‘DEI’) policies and programs has changed,” the letter read. “We have closely followed the recent Executive Orders, Supreme Court rulings, and guidance issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and have adjusted our employment and business practices to ensure that they comply with all applicable laws and related requirements, including ending DEI-related policies as described below, not just in name but in substance.”
Carr confirmed that the letter showcases AT&T’s commitment to end DEI at the company, according to Reuters.
The FCC Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez said the decision was made to appeal to the Trump administration, but that it would negatively impact the company’s reputation in the long run.
“AT&T’s reversal isn’t a sudden transformation of values, but a strategic financial play to curry favor with this FCC/Administration,” she wrote on X. “Companies should remember that abandoning fairness and inclusion for short-term gain will be a stain to their reputation long into the future.”
AT&T's reversal isn't a sudden transformation of values, but a strategic financial play to curry favor with this FCC/Administration. Companies should remember that abandoning fairness and inclusion for short-term gain will be a stain to their reputation long into the future.— Anna M. Gomez (@AGomezFCC) December 2, 2025
Why is AT&T ending its DEI programs?
The news comes as the company is required to obtain FCC approval for a billion-dollar deal. In November 2024, AT&T agreed to buy wireless spectrum licenses from U.S. Cellular for $1.02 billion.
Under the Trump Administration, the commission began requiring telecom firms to cut their DEI programs to approve transactions. As a result, companies like T-Mobile and Verizon Communications, as well as media companies such as Paramount and Skydance, said they would eliminate DEI practices.
In July, T-Mobile announced it would end its DEI programs to secure approval for a $4.4 billion deal that includes buying a significant part of regional carrier United States Cellular’s wireless operations. That same month, T-Mobile also established a joint venture with KKR to acquire internet service provider Metronet.
After it announced cuts to its DEI programs, Verizon Communications received FCC approval in May for a $20 billion deal to acquire fiber-optic internet provider Frontier Communications.
The FCC is also questioning companies in their alleged promotion of DEI programs. In February, Carr opened such a probe into Comcast, NBC News’ parent company.
The post AT&T Commits To End Its DEI Programs To Appeal To Trump Admin appeared first on Blavity.
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