President Trump said he is ending the Biden-era Digital Equity Act, intended to provide digital service to lower-income communities, to save the country billions of dollars.
Mr. Trump said in a social media post Thursday that he spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and they agreed to end the act passed by Congress in 2021 and incorporated into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden.
It aims to ensure that everyone had access to skills that would help them benefit from the digital economy, and Mr. Trump slammed it as “unconstitutional.”
“No more work handouts based on race! The Digital Equity Program is a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway,” he wrote. “I am ending this IMMEDIATELY and saving Taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!”
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration website said the Digital Equity Act provides $2.75 billion dollars to create three grant programs: a state planning program, state capacity program and competitive program.
“They aim to ensure that all communities can access and use affordable, reliable high-speed internet to meet their needs and improve their lives,” a fact sheet of the order says.
The Washington Times has reached out to the NTIA for comment.
Mr. Trump has taken an ax to all federal programs that focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. A series of executive orders during his first few days in office directed all federal agencies to stop any DEI programs.
