The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened an investigation into Disney and its subsidiary ABC over their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, as announced by FCC Chair Brendan Carr on March 28. In a letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger, Carr said the probe aims “to ensure that Disney and ABC have not been violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” as described in a report by CNN.
Carr, appointed by former President Donald Trump, argued that Disney’s DEI policies had shifted from “churning out box office and programming successes” to embedding “explicit race- and gender-based criteria” across its operations. The letter marks a growing trend in federal scrutiny toward corporations maintaining diversity frameworks once encouraged in the wake of nationwide equity movements.
The inquiry is part of the Trump administration’s wider rollback of DEI initiatives. The administration has already banned DEI considerations in federal hiring and is pressuring private firms to do the same. According to BBC reporting, Carr emphasized that “significant concerns remain” even after reports that Disney scaled back some DEI efforts earlier this year. He requested information about internal diversity rules, including character representation standards.
Legal experts noted this move by the FCC diverges from typical regulatory practice. While the agency traditionally intervenes in mergers to prevent monopolistic outcomes, it has never used DEI compliance as grounds for review. Carr recently warned that media firms with mergers pending, like Paramount’s deal with Skydance and Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier, could face delays or denials if their DEI efforts raise red flags.
According to the BBC, Carr has also launched similar inquiries into NPR, PBS, Verizon, and Comcast. Meanwhile, a Disney spokesperson responded: “We are reviewing the Federal Communications Commission’s letter, and we look forward to engaging with the commission to answer its questions.”
International ripple effects have followed the administration’s stance. French companies with U.S. contracts recently received embassy letters demanding compliance with Trump’s executive order banning DEI, regardless of operating country or nationality.
While Disney is no stranger to political controversy—having feuded with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the “Don’t Say Gay” law and previously settling a defamation case tied to former President Trump—this federal investigation may test the boundaries of regulatory authority in dictating internal corporate values.
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