Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr on Friday indirectly urged companies like Paramount Global, Verizon, and others who are hoping to merge to eliminate their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The advice comes as some companies, including Walmart, have already started rolling back DEI initiatives in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, and backlash from conservatives. 

Carr said the FCC would be reviewing whether any of the companies seeking their approval still have "illegal" diversity policies, and that the commission would only move forward on a merger if it serves the public interest.

“Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” Carr told Bloomberg. “If there’s businesses out there that are still promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination, I really don’t see a path forward where the FCC could reach the conclusion that approving the transaction is going to be in the public interest.”

The guidance could interfere with Paramount's anticipated merge with Skydance Media, which has to be approved by the FCC because it requires the transfer of the broadcasting license. Paramount is the parent company of CBS News, which was recently engulfed in a scandal over its editing of a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Carr has previously said that the 60 Minutes matter would factor into the merger review, per Deadline.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.