T-Mobile Dismantles DEI Programs Amid Trump-Era Regulatory Pressure

T-Mobile is eliminating its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs as it seeks regulatory approval for two major acquisitions, bowing to pressure from the Trump administration and its allies on the Federal Communications Commission.

According to USA TODAY, in a July 8 letter to the FCC, the wireless carrier said it would dismantle its DEI efforts “not just in name, but in substance,” citing shifts in federal law and policy under President Donald Trump.

“We recognize that the legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI under federal law has changed,” T-Mobile wrote.

The company said it has dissolved DEI-dedicated roles and teams, scrubbed mentions of DEI from its website and training materials, and made development programs available to all employees regardless of background.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Republican who has publicly opposed corporate DEI efforts, praised the move.
“Another good step forward for equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and the public interest,” Carr said.

Carr has previously threatened to block FCC approvals for companies maintaining DEI policies.
“Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” he said in a recent interview with Bloomberg News.

The FCC approved Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications in May after the company agreed to abandon its DEI commitments.

T-Mobile is now seeking approval to acquire U.S. Cellular’s wireless operations and internet provider Metronet through a joint venture with private equity firm KKR.

Opposition to DEI intensified during the 2024 election and surged after Trump returned to office. The administration has threatened to revoke federal contracts from companies that uphold DEI policies, prompting many in regulated industries, including telecom, to swiftly walk back their initiatives.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, criticized T-Mobile’s decision.
“In yet another cynical bid to win FCC regulatory approval, T-Mobile is making a mockery of its professed commitment to eliminating discrimination, promoting fairness and amplifying underrepresented voices,” Gomez wrote on X. “History will not be kind to this cowardly corporate capitulation.”