The Trump administration has withdrawn a $16 million grant aimed at establishing a new cybersecurity literacy program in Washington state. The Department of Commerce was informed of the funding cancellation on Friday, just a day after President Donald Trump labeled the Digital Equity Act, which created the grant program, as “racist” and “unconstitutional.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s letter to state officials echoed these sentiments, asserting that the digital equity initiative was “unconstitutional” and that the grants were developed and administered using “impermissible and unconstitutional racial preferences.” Similar notifications have been sent to states across the country.
The federal law, championed by Washington U.S. Senator Patty Murray, was part of the bipartisan infrastructure package signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. It aims to support various groups, including veterans, individuals with disabilities, seniors, and rural communities, with people of color also positioned to benefit from the federal funds.
The Digital Equity Act allocated approximately $2.75 billion, with $60 million initially designated for states in 2022 to create plans for improving internet access. Subsequent funds were then distributed to implement these plans.
Both Democratic and Republican-led states had been preparing to utilize this funding. Washington was awarded nearly $16 million in December, shortly before Trump took office. The state Department of Commerce intended to use the funds to establish a Broadband Cybersecurity Literacy Program, aimed at educating residents on safe internet practices. This program would develop a curriculum to be integrated into existing digital literacy training, a component of the state’s Digital Equity Plan.
The Trump administration is likely to encounter legal challenges regarding the canceled grants, as it has faced in other instances of terminated federal funding. Notably, this funding is distinct from the $1.2 billion Washington has received through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD), which focuses on enhancing internet infrastructure in rural areas and other underserved regions.
As of now, the Trump administration has not frozen these funds. By the end of January, Washington had received over 300 applications for portions of the $1.2 billion, with plans to submit a spending strategy to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration by the fall.
Some experts are concerned that the Trump administration may be redirecting funds away from fiber networks in favor of satellite internet options, potentially benefiting companies like Elon Musk’s Starlink. However, Washington is proceeding cautiously due to the presence of the term “equity” in the BEAD program name, with state officials awaiting further guidance from the telecommunications agency.
