FCC Chairman Carr Threatens to Block M&A for Companies with DEI

The Federal Communications Commission is prepared to block mergers and acquisition proposals from companies that promote “invidious” diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, according to chairman Brendan Carr. The move could threaten billions of dollars worth of deals in the communications sector, with Carr specifically mentioning Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media, and Verizon Communications Inc.’s acquisition of Frontier Communications Parent Inc. “Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” Chairman Carr said. President Donald Trump has been pushing to root out diversity, equity and inclusion policies from the federal government, corporate America and beyond, issuing executive orders banning the practice and asking agency heads to identify targets, including listed companies, to investigate for “illegal DEI” efforts.