Trump killed the Digital Equity Act, but US was forced to bring part of it back
Summary
The Trump administration ended a broadband grant program created by the Digital Equity Act of 2021 but has now agreed to restart part of it after a court ruling. The program will reopen accepting applications without using race or ethnicity as criteria, but other factors like income and age can still guide funding decisions.Key Facts
- The Digital Equity Act of 2021 set aside $2.75 billion for programs to improve broadband access.
- The Biden administration began distributing $60 million in planning grants in 2022.
- President Trump ended the grant programs in May 2025, calling the Act racist and unconstitutional.
- The National Digital Inclusion Alliance sued the Trump administration over ending a $1.25 billion competitive grant program.
- The court ruled the government cannot allocate grant money based on race or ethnicity.
- The Trump administration will restart the competitive grant program without racial or ethnic criteria.
- Other grant programs totaling $1.44 billion may not be restarted.
- The National Digital Inclusion Alliance supports the program but disagrees with the court's ruling on race-based funding.
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