WASHINGTON, D.C. —In one of his first notable acts as the head of the Federal Communications Commission, FCC chair Brendan Carr has announced that he is ending the promotion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at the FCC.
In ending DEI, Carr cited one of President Trump’s first acts in office, which was to issue a Jan. 20. Executive Order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.”
“Promoting invidious forms of discrimination runs contrary to the Communications Act and deprives Americans of their rights to fair and equal treatment under the law,” Carr said in a statement. “It also represents a wasteful expenditure of taxpayer resources.”
Carr’s decision comes at a time when recently released FCC data showed that very few broadcast radio and TV stations were owned by minorities and women. Citing 2023 data, a Jan. 2025 FCC report said women held a majority interest in 10% of commercial broadcast stations, while men held a majority interest in 59% of commercial broadcast stations. The FCC also found that white persons held a majority ownership interest in 74% of commercial broadcast stations, while persons belonging to racial minority groups held a majority ownership interest in 5% of commercial broadcast stations.
The report also found that women held a majority stake in 8% of full power TV stations while men had majority stakes in 49%. Whites had majority stakes in 73%, versus 3% for Blacks/African Americans and 1% for Asians. Hispanics had majority ownership of 3% of full-power TV stations while non-Hispanics had 59%.
Carr’s decision drew immediate condemnation from Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez. She called Carr's decision "a shame" and urged the FCC not to get caught up in "culture wars." Her full statement is available here.
In moving against DEI, Carr described the efforts that he would be ending as follows:
- "Eliminating the Promotion of DEI from the FCC’s Strategic Plan. Starting during the Biden Administration, FCC leadership added the promotion of DEI to the Commission’s Strategic Plan, listing it as the FCC’s second highest strategic priority. Promoting DEI will no longer be any part of the FCC’s strategic plans going forward.
- Eliminating the Promotion of DEI from the FCC’s Budget. Starting during the Biden Administration, the FCC’s annual budget requests to Congress stated that the FCC would use its appropriated funds to promote DEI. Promoting DEI will no longer be any part of the FCC’s budget requests going forward.
- Eliminating the FCC’s DEI Advisory Group. As Chairman of the FCC, I have concluded that the work of the FCC’s Communications Equity and Diversity Council is complete. This Advisory Group will therefore terminate pursuant to Section 10 of its Charter.
- Rescinding the FCC’s DEI Equity Action Plan. In 2022, the FCC published an Equity Action Plan that promotes DEI. This Equity Action Plan will be rescinded.
- Ending the FCC’s DEI Task Force. In 2022, FCC leadership formed a cross-agency group named the Digital Discrimination Task Force. I will ensure that this group and its work ends.
- Eliminating DEI from the FCC’s Advisory Committee Directive. In 2023, the FCC issued a Directive that tasked each of the FCC’s advisory committees with promoting DEI. This DEI portion of the 2023 Directive will be revoked.
- Eliminating the Promotion of DEI from the FCC’s Annual Performance Plans. Starting during the Biden Administration, FCC leadership added the promotion of DEI to the Commission’s annual performance plans. Promoting DEI will no longer be any part of the FCC’s performance plans going forward.
- Eliminating DEI Analysis from FCC Economic Reports. During the Biden Administration, the Commission’s economic reports—including the FCC’s Section 706 and its Communications Marketplace Reports—started to focus on the promotion of DEI, rather than hewing to the tasks laid out by Congress for those reports. Promoting DEI will no longer be any part of the FCC’s reports," Carr wrote.
