May 16 (Reuters) - Verizon Communications ( VZ ) said

Friday it is ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs

after the Trump administration opened a probe and as the U.S.

telecom carrier seeks approval to purchase Frontier

Communications.

Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr in

February criticized Verizon for its promotion of

DEI programs and said it could be a factor in the Frontier deal.

Verizon said in a letter to Carr seen by Reuters the company

was removing its "Diversity and Inclusion" website and removing

references to DEI from employee training and making other

changes to hiring, career development, supplier diversity and

corporate sponsorship practices.