Trump administration rescinds Nevada’s high-speed internet funds

The Trump administration rescinded funds allocated to Nevada for high-speed internet projects, forcing Nevada and other states to reapply for grants under a new set of criteria.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced Friday a new policy notice with critical reforms to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program originally established under the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

BEAD provided $42.45 billion of funding through state grants to build high-speed internet, and Nevada was approved to receive $416 million since January 2025, according to Sen. Jacky Rosen’s office.

New guidelines, however, require states to reapply, with no guarantee of receiving the funds again.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in a statement the new direction for the BEAD program will deliver high-speed internet access efficiently on a technology-neutral basis at the right price.

“President Trump promised to put an end to wasteful spending, and thanks to his leadership, the American people will get the benefit of the bargain, with connectivity delivered around the country at a fraction of the cost of the original program,” he said in a statement.

The new policy aims to lower costs, remove regulatory burdens, speed up implementation and create a “technology neutral” approach that eliminates preferences for a single technology, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. States have 90 days to comply with the new notice.

It also says that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration reserves the right to reject any proposed deployment project that have excessive costs, as determined by the administration based on cost characteristics of the area to be served.

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation &Technology is reviewing the updated guidance and is in communication with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration about the next steps for Nevada’s BEAD program, said Elizabeth Ray, spokesperson for the governor’s office, in an email.

Rosen, D-Nev., said in a statement she was “beyond outraged” about the Trump administration moving the goal posts and rescinding the funding she helped secure for Nevada.

“This decision will put Nevada’s broadband funding in jeopardy, and it’s a slap in the face to rural communities that need access to high-speed internet,” she said in a statement.

Rosen said she will block the confirmation of Commerce Department nominees who oversee broadband until Nevada receives its BEAD funding.

In the policy notice, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration says the reforms are necessary, but it recognizes that stakeholders have invested significant resources participating in the BEAD program since the infrastructure law passed in 2021.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration does not require states to repeat the initial stages of the program but removes burdens and promotes greater competition, according to the notice.

“This targeted approach will ensure that all Americans receive the greatest Benefit of the Bargain and that the BEAD Program moves forward expeditiously,” the notice said.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.