AT&T to Discontinue DEI Programs
AT&T has announced plans to discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which includes employee training that labels racism as a “white trait.”
In a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, the company responded to recent legal changes affecting these initiatives.
“AT&T has always supported merit-based opportunity, and today we are happy to reaffirm our commitment to equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination,” stated David McAtee, AT&T’s senior executive vice president and general counsel. “Our multifaceted approach, consistent with applicable law, allows our employees to thrive in an environment free of insidious discrimination.”
With a workforce exceeding 110,000 in the U.S., AT&T maintains a longstanding practice of promoting and compensating employees based on merit and qualifications.
The company emphasized it will “no longer use hiring quotas based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics” and will cease enforcing demographic-driven targets in supplier contracts.
Previously, employees were encouraged to explore materials linked to critical race theory (CRT), including articles that suggested personal accountability for racism among White Americans.
Both Verizon and T-Mobile have also pledged to eliminate DEI programs. Amid this trend, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has stated that agencies won’t receive key licenses until these efforts are entirely withdrawn.
Numerous firms that have scaled back their DEI policies have also stopped sharing data required by the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index.
During his second term, President Trump issued multiple executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives across public and private sectors. A landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2023, which struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions, has further accelerated the reduction of DEI programs nationally.
In November 2024, AT&T revealed a $1.02 billion deal to acquire radio frequency licenses from US Cellular, though this acquisition is currently pending FCC approval.
