In a move that has stunned broadband advocates and local leaders across the country, President Donald Trump has officially dismantled the Digital Equity Act, a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s plan to expand internet access in underserved communities.
The president made the announcement Thursday on his social media platform, Truth Social, declaring the program unconstitutional and characterizing it as a “racist handout.” His message read in part, “No more woke handouts based on race! The Digital Equity Program is a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway. I am ending this IMMEDIATELY and saving taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!”
Despite Trump’s claim, the law did not distribute funds based on race. In fact, the legislation prohibited discrimination entirely, stating that eligibility for internet access improvements could not be denied on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. These protections mirrored long-standing language from the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Digital Equity Act was created to address one of the nation’s most persistent challenges — the digital divide. Millions of Americans in rural and low-income areas, including those who voted overwhelmingly for Trump, lack access to reliable, high-speed internet. This barrier affects everything from children’s education to employment opportunities and access to healthcare.
What makes the president’s decision especially controversial is that the program had already started rolling out in deep-red states. Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Arkansas, and Iowa had all received federal grants under the initiative to create and implement digital access plans. In many of these areas, local leaders praised the funding as a long-overdue lifeline.
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Now, with Trump’s abrupt cancellation of the program, those plans are in limbo — and communities may be left behind once again.
“I’m trying to understand how expanding internet to poor areas became a political wedge issue,” said Mary Collins, a broadband coordinator in southern Indiana. “We’re not talking about luxury here. We’re talking about kids trying to do their homework and seniors accessing telehealth.”
The Biden-era program was designed to ensure that high-speed internet was not a privilege reserved for the affluent or urban. It targeted systemic barriers that had historically left entire regions without reliable service. Trump’s decision to frame the program as a racial giveaway not only misrepresents its content but also may undermine future bipartisan efforts to address the digital divide.
Digital infrastructure advocates argue that internet access today is as essential as electricity or clean water — a necessity for full participation in the modern economy.
While Trump has yet to provide an alternative proposal to address rural broadband, his administration insists that any future plans will avoid “woke ideology” and prioritize what it calls “American values.” But with the clock ticking on many state-level broadband projects, it remains unclear how communities will cope with the sudden loss of federal support.
For now, local leaders are left with more questions than answers. And for millions of Americans in forgotten ZIP codes, the dream of equitable internet access just slipped a little further out of reach.
9 comments
hahahaha. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. MAGA communities deserve everything they get.
The problem is, they are keeping them dumb, so they can vote for trump again.
Trumps a faggot ass nigga
Trump is doing it for Elon Musk. Elon wants us all to use his satellite Starlink system. Next we will see where you can get starlink. Musk will make it sound good until you realize he will slow it down when you reach your data limit and will limit what sites you can access.
Exactly nailed it. And then attacks on Mus k will suddenly be attacks on ritual America… Despite him fleecing rural America.
Damn straight! Let ’em suffer!
Except it’s not all just “MAGA communities”. Sorta cringe to assume all poor areas in the US are MAGA. What if you lived in one of these areas and couldn’t afford to leave? You vote liberal but get grouped in with MAGA and then suffer. How is that fair?
2.5B$ is nothing for this even though there is corruption… of cider it’s corporate corruption, not the states, not partisan or racist distribution, *we* know that, but Republicans don’t. Even if it’s something they rely on directly.
Rural areas aren’t just ignorant “people who can’t afford to leave”. These are low population density, but large communities with significantly less resources per capita because individual costs aren’t amortized by sheer population density. e.g. costs are (mostly) higher, benefits are lower, jobs pay less. This means federal and state hemp are *critical* to rural life, and yet Republicans control rural spaces… Have you ever thought about why? Because they know how to trick them into believing the guys things Democrats introduce are actually bad.
Some of these spaces are notable in how the population is a mix people in all fields, year-round and seasonal work, including technical professionals. Many people *prefer* rural life without being destitute or crazy.
In the US, especially as you go north, these can consist of the local native population, immigrants from anywhere (sometimes a community from a specific event), living off the land types, tradespeople, teachers, professors, college students, researchers (if there’s a relevant within an hour drive), retired professionals etc.
There is a tendency to look down on rural America and it is always, *always* a mistake. The Republicans learned this mistake and part of the multi-stage “Southern Strategy” was to appeal to racism in these communities and pull them away from their labour roots. This was *incredibly* successful, and not only created the modern Republican party, but also flipped the most racist Democrats over, giving them control of most southern states.
And yet Democrats continue to treat rural America like idiots even when suffering for it over and over. Even great policies to bring internet access to rural communities are made Democrats don’t mention how Republicans fight this continually. And every time a discussion comes up there is someone who innocently wonders why proper live way out there where they can’t go clubbing every night.
Guess the only option they’ll have is, you guessed Elon’s Starlink. Unrivaled levels of corruption.