● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Trump administration reinstates Digital Equity Act grant program after court ruling
Key points
- Trump administration reinstates Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.
- Court ruling mandated the reinstatement of the program.
- Grants cannot be allocated based on race or ethnicity.
- The program accounts for $1.25 billion of the Digital Equity Act.
Broadband Grant Program Reinstated
The Trump administration announced it will reinstate a broadband grant program, specifically the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. This decision comes in response to a court ruling that prevented the administration from fully discontinuing the Digital Equity Act, enacted by Congress in 2021. The government plans to begin accepting applications for these grants in December.
Court Ruling Details
While the program is being reinstated, the Trump administration secured a partial victory in court. The judge ruled that the government is prohibited from allocating grant money based on the race or ethnicity of potential beneficiaries. However, the program can still award grants using other criteria such as income, age, and disability.
Background of the Digital Equity Act
The Digital Equity Act of 2021 initially provided $2.75 billion across three grant programs to address gaps in broadband access. The Biden administration had begun distributing planning grants in 2022 and started accepting applications for the remaining funds in 2024. In May 2025, the Trump administration announced its intention to end these grant programs, citing claims that the Act was racist and unconstitutional.
Legal Challenge and Outcome
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The NDIA, which was slated to receive $25.7 million before the program's termination, specifically challenged the discontinuation of the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, which comprises $1.25 billion of the total authorized funds. This lawsuit led to the court-mandated reinstatement of this specific program. A separate $1.44 billion grant program for states and territories remains discontinued, as it was not part of the lawsuit.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
The Trump administration will reinstate a broadband grant program from the Digital Equity Act of 2021 following a court ruling. This decision allows for the distribution of $1.25 billion in competitive grants, though the government cannot allocate funds based on race or ethnicity.