Policymakers

Joshua Breitbart, Senior Vice President of New York’s Empire State Development, has spent most of his career working on broadband projects of one kind or another. In early 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced the formation of the Empire State Development ConnectALL initiative in her “State of the State” address.

President Trump’s blunt message after a whirlwind week of executive orders and presidential proclamations may boil down to this: Take me at my word. During four years in political exile after his first term, President Trump vowed to radically reshape American life, culture and politics if he got another chance.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced the appointment of additional FCC leadership positions. 

• Tom Sullivan, Acting Chief of the Office of International Affairs.
• Ira Keltz, Acting Chief Engineer, Office of Engineering and Technology.
• Catherine Matraves, Acting Chief of the Office of Economics and Analytics.
• Katie Gorscak, Acting Director of the Office of Media Relations.

President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term on Monday, January 20, and soon began fulfilling a number of campaign promises by signing a number of Executive Orders at Washington's Capital One Arena in front of thousands of supporters—a first in the nation's history—and later at the White House. Understanding the full impact of these executive actions will take some time; we start with an examination of the Executive Order on Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and how it is being implemented at the Federal Communications Commission.

The Federal Trade Commission approved a motion to give Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson authority needed to comply with President Trump’s executive orders ending DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] across the federal government. A motion to grant that authority to the Chairman was approved by a vote of 2-1-2. Commissioners Rebecca K. Slaughter and Lina M. Khan did not participate.

This order establishes the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to unite the brightest minds from academia, industry, and government to guide our Nation through this critical moment by charting a path forward for American leadership in science and technology.

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced the following changes to his team. Milla Anderson, formerly Commissioner Starks’ Policy Advisor, departed the FCC.  Anderson joins the private sector. Following Anderson’s departure, Kiara Ortiz will be serving as Acting Legal Advisor. Ortiz comes from the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau where she is Legal Advisor to the Bureau Chief.  She began her career at the FCC as an Honors Attorney.  She has a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and a B.A. from Spelman College.  

Pursuant to the Executive Orders titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” and the Executive Order titled “Initial Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions” issued by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission is rescinding its Equity Action Plan and all related materials and has discontinued www.fcc.gov/equity. 

DEI is a scourge on our institutions. It denies to all Americans the Constitution’s promise of equality before the law. It divides people into castes on the basis of immutable characteristics, and treats them as caste members rather than as individuals. It stokes tensions by elevating race and other immutable characteristics above merit and excellence. It promotes invidious discrimination. And it violates federal and natural law. I taken the following actions to protect the FTC’s employees and the American people from DEI:

President Donald Trump has nominated Michael Kratsios to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Michael Kratsios is the former Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. He was the Department’s Chief Technology Officer and was responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise, and was mandated with ensuring technological superiority for the Department of Defense.