The former director of a bipartisan internet connectivity program is sounding the alarm over the Trump administration's planned changes, Maria reports.

Why it matters: The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program is a $42.45 billion pot of money designed to help bridge the digital divide and expand service to rural and underserved areas.

Behind the scenes: Evan Feinman, who was the program's director until March 14, said in an interview with Maria that NTIA had been working to get rid of climate resiliency and labor provisions that Hill Republicans and the new administration considered "woke."

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a meeting with staff was "very clear and explicit" that he wanted to increase the use of satellite and decrease the use of fiber, per Feinman.
• Feinman was not in the meeting, but said he heard about it from colleagues who were there immediately afterwards.
• Feinman's three-year term expired and the administration chose not to reappoint him.

Between the lines: Increasing satellite would benefit Elon Musk's Starlink.

• An NTIA spokesman said the BEAD program is being revamped "to take a tech-neutral approach and remove the prior Administration's burdensome mandates and regulations."

State of play: Feinman said changes to the program would "dramatically slow things down" because under the infrastructure law, states would have to rewrite and resubmit their plans.

• Louisiana, Delaware, Nevada, West Virginia, and Connecticut all have finalized and funded projects that are on time and are on or under budget, and are waiting to see whether Commerce lets them move forward, Feinman said.
• At least another 30 states are in the application process. Grants have not gone out.

Unlike large companies, the small- and medium-sized providers that have received the majority of the awards may not have the capital to make the changes and have their applications reflect that, Feinman warned.

• Consumers will have higher monthly bills and slower internet service, he added.
• AT&T in a blog post said they embrace a tech-neutral approach and satellite must be part of the solution to be cost-effective.

The other side: There are various reasons why BEAD has taken a while to connect homes to the internet. For example, the FCC had to first release a map showing where internet service already existed in the country.

• But Republicans are quick to note not a single American has been connected under the BEAD program because of red tape.

What we're watching: ISPs and states have invested a ton of time and money into qualifying for the BEAD money, and they may push back on any changes from the Trump administration.

• "I have a feeling, depending on the the nature and severity of these changes, that a set of state attorneys general may decide to sue the Commerce Department," Feinman said.

📜 6G bill: Reps. Tim Walberg, Doris Matsui, and Rick Allen reintroduced the FUTURE Networks Act, which would direct the FCC establish a 6G task force.

• The House passed the legislation last year in a 393-22 vote.

🚧 Trade barriers: USTR's annual National Trade Estimate Report detailing foreign trade barriers faced by U.S. exporter is now out, and industry groups are weighing in.

• CCIA's Jonathan McHale: "This annual report will serve as a blueprint for both enforcement priorities and identifying negotiating objectives for future agreements to promote the cross-border flow of digital products and services."
• BSA's Aaron Cooper: USTR "has created opportunities to engage trading partners on high-standard digital agreements that enable software developers to serve global customers and strengthen responsible cross-border data transfers that are critical to every industry."

⛑️ AI aid: "AI and satellites help aid workers respond to Myanmar earthquake damage," per the AP.

🔦 Data centers spotlight: Rep. Suhas Subramanyam at today's House Oversight AI data centers hearing noted VA-10 is home to more data centers than any other district in the country and called for a national strategic plan that takes into account the impact on communities.

• "In fact, if my district were a country, it would have more data centers than almost every other country in the world. ... We're a cautionary tale for the rest of the country."
• "The power needed for these data centers is creating a huge problem for our community," he said.