T-Mobile US (TMUS, Financials) ended all of its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as it attempts to win regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission for two high-profile telecom deals, according to a letter made public Wednesday.
In a move that aligns with ongoing pressure from the Trump administration, T-Mobile told FCC Chair Brendan Carr that it was eliminating DEI not only “in name, but in substance.” The company said it has disbanded DEI-focused roles and teams, scrubbed DEI references from its websites, and removed such language from employee training materials.
Carr, a Republican appointed by President Trump, welcomed the decision. In a message to Reuters, he called the shift “another good step forward for equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and the public interest.”
T-Mobile is seeking FCC clearance for two major transactions: a $4.4 billion acquisition of regional carrier U.S. Cellular's wireless operations, including customers, stores, and 30% of its spectrum assets; and a $4.9 billion joint venture with private equity firm KKR (KKR, Financials) to acquire Metronet, an internet provider with fiber reach to over two million homes across 17 U.S. states.
The company plans to take a 50% equity stake in the KKR-led joint venture while also acquiring 100% of Metronet's residential retail fiber business and customers.
Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez condemned T-Mobile's actions, calling them “a cynical bid to win FCC regulatory approval” and a betrayal of the company's stated values around fairness and representation.
The decision follows similar pressure applied to other telecom giants. Earlier this year, Verizon (VZ, Financials) gained approval for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications after ending its own DEI efforts. In February, Carr also opened a probe into Comcast's DEI initiatives.
President Trump's executive orders in January called for the dismantling of federal DEI programs and encouraged private-sector compliance. T-Mobile appears to be the latest corporation recalibrating internal policies to align with this broader political environment.
