T-Mobile follows orders from Trump FCC, ends DEI to get two mergers approved

T-Mobile is ending DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in an attempt to obtain the Trump administration's approval for two mergers.

"As T-Mobile indicated earlier this year, we recognize that the legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI under federal law has changed and we remain fully committed to ensuring that T-Mobile does not have any policies or practices that enable invidious discrimination, whether in fulfillment of DEI or any other purpose," T-Mobile General Counsel Mark Nelson wrote in a July 8 letter that was posted to the Federal Communications Commission's filings website yesterday. "We have conducted a comprehensive review of T-Mobile's policies, programs, and activities, and pursuant to this review, T-Mobile is ending its DEI-related policies as described below, not just in name, but in substance."

It's clear that T-Mobile was trying to influence the FCC's review of its pending transactions because the carrier filed the letter in two dockets: one for its pending acquisition of US Cellular's wireless operations, and another for a joint venture to acquire fiber provider Metronet. The FCC observes an informal timeline of 180 days to review mergers; the T-Mobile/US Cellular deal is on day 253.

T-Mobile's letter spurred the FCC to approve the Metronet deal in an order released yesterday. "We accept T-Mobile's commitment to modify its practices as firm and definite, and expect that these changes to eliminate DEI practices will prevent discrimination in the post-transaction company, as consistent with the law and the public interest," the July 9 FCC order said.

Carr yesterday called T-Mobile's change "another good step forward for equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and the public interest," and wrote that "President Trump is restoring common sense and racking up wins."

Firm reassigns employees, scrubs DEI from training

In March, T-Mobile obtained FCC approval for a joint venture to acquire fiber provider Lumos. That happened one day after T-Mobile sent Carr a letter saying it "is fully committed to identifying and rooting out any policies and practices that enable such discrimination, whether in fulfillment of DEI or any other purpose," and was thus "conducting a comprehensive review of its DEI policies, programs, and activities."

This week's letter described the results of that internal review. "First, the handful of T-Mobile employees who focused on diversity and inclusion will be redirected within Human Resources to focus on employee culture and engagement," Nelson wrote in the letter to Carr. "As a result, T-Mobile will no longer have any individual roles or teams focused on DEI. T-Mobile is also removing any references to DEI on its websites and will ensure that company websites and future communications do not have any references to DEI or 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' and are consistent with T-Mobile's commitment to promote nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity."