T-Mobile US ended its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices to better align itself with President Donald Trump’s policies, as it seeks to win regulatory approval for two deals.

The operator stated in a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr it is cancelling DEI-related policies “not just in name, but in substance”.

Those measures include moving employees focused on DEI into other areas of T-Mobile’s human resources department “to focus on employee culture and engagement”.

“As a result, T-Mobile will no longer have any individual roles or teams focused on DEI,” the letter stated. “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.”

“Another good step forward for equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and the public interest,” Carr stated on X.

The move comes at a time when the operator is seeking FCC approval for its $4.4 billion deal to buy most of UScellular’s wireless assets including customers, stores and 30 per cent of its spectrum.

The regulator is also looking at the operator’s plan to spend $4.9 billion for a 50 per cent stake in US-based fibre service provider Metronet through a joint venture with investment company KKR, which could close in the coming weeks.

FCC commissioner Anna Gomez denounced T-Mobile’s move, stating “in yet another cynical bid to win FCC regulatory approval, T-Mobile is making a mockery of its professed commitment to eliminating discrimination, promoting fairness, and amplifying underrepresented voices”.

“History will not be kind to this cowardly corporate capitulation,” Gomez added.

In May, the FCC signed off on Verizon’s $20 billion deal to buy Frontier Communications after the operator agreed to end its DEI programme.