FCC plans major DEI crackdown with help of conservative firebrand

FIRST ON FOX - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is vowing to use every tool at his disposal to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs from the companies his agency regulates, and has enlisted the help of a high-profile conservative activist in the effort.

Carr met with activist Robby Starbuck on Wednesday to discuss ways the agency can use its enforcement powers to stamp out DEI in the telecommunications sector. The two discussed ways the agency can enforce existing civil rights laws along with President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders targeting DEI in the public and private sectors.

"It’s my hope that this meeting is a wake-up call for businesses within the FCC’s purview that the days of violating the law with DEI are over," Starbuck told Fox News Digital.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr met with conservative activist Robby Starbuck to discuss rooting out DEI in the companies the agency regulates.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Carr vowed to enforce FCC equal employment opportunity rules on private companies refusing to comply with Trump’s executive orders, and to withhold FCC transaction approval from companies seeking to merge if they do not "get busy ending any discriminatory DEI programs."

Since Trump took office, a slew of companies announced they were terminating or walking back their DEI programs. Carr announced in January that the FCC would no longer promote DEI and opened probes into Verizon and Comcast demanding that the companies cease their DEI policies.

Verizon has in the past hosted a forum where a speaker advocated defunding the police and discussed concepts such as "privilege" and "microinequities" as part of a diversity training. The company confirmed the FCC’s letter but did not comment on its existing DEI policies. 

"That [training] program no longer exists and, from the beginning, it was misconstrued in these reports," a Verizon rep told Fox News Digital. 

Verizon is currently seeking FCC approval for its purchase of Frontier Communications.

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck told Fox News Digital he is concerned a Kamala Harris presidency could change the United States as it is known today.  (Fox News)

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Carr opened an investigation into Comcast and NBCUniversal in February over concerns the company was "promoting invidious forms of discrimination" with its DEI policies. Comcast’s website claims that DEI is a "core value" of its business. 

"I am concerned that Comcast and NBCUniversal may be promoting invidious forms of DEI in a manner that does not comply with FCC regulations. For instance, Comcast states on its website that promoting DEI is 'a core value of our business' and public reports state that Comcast has an entire 'DEI infrastructure' that includes annual ‘DEI day[s],’ ‘DEI training for company leaders,’ and similar initiatives," Carr wrote in a letter to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts.

"DEI is a Trojan horse for left-wing policy. It pretends to stand against racism but results in racial hiring quotas and zero tolerance or inclusion for conservative or religious views," Starbuck said. "Companies are learning that in the internet age, you must avoid virtue signaling and wokeness."

The FCC has already launched an investigation into Verizon.  (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Starbuck, whose advocacy work has helped push numerous companies to end or roll back their DEI policies, recently announced that AT&T has decided to cease its DEI initiatives. The telecom company will no longer have a DEI officer and ended all DEI trainings, Starbuck announced on X. 

"I want to thank Robby for sharing his insights and expertise with me and my team as the FCC works to root out this insidious form of discrimination," Carr said. 

Comcast and AT&T did not respond to a request for comment. 

David Spector is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..