What Does the DEI Program Trump Likes Tell Us?

President Donald Trump and his allies’ constantly blame diversity, equity, and inclusion, without evidence, for tragic events––such as plane crashes, wildfires, and bridge collapses. And on Inauguration Day, the administration issued an executive order ending funding related to “illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.” But will Trump end former President Joe Biden's largest DEI program? No. That program is the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. Congress created it in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring high-speed internet networks to every home and business in America currently unserved by such networks. And while the Trump Commerce Department and Republicans in the House have proposed changes to BEAD, they are not calling for its end. The president, his administration, and Republicans would likely argue that BEAD is not a DEI program. The history and purposes of the program argue otherwise.

Blair Levin is the Policy Advisor to New Street Research and a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings Metro.