A major bank is reversing the type of anti-gun policy that became popular in the 2010s after high-profile school shootings.
Citigroup announced on Tuesday that it is ending a seven-year-old policy that barred companies selling firearms to buyers under the age of 21 from using its services, according to a blog post declaring that it will no longer discriminate based on political affiliation.
We will update our employee Code of Conduct and our customer-facing Global Financial Access Policy to clearly state that we do not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation in the same way we are clear that we do not discriminate on the basis of other traits such as race and religion. This will codify what we’ve long practiced, and we will continue to conduct trainings to ensure compliance.
We also will no longer have a specific policy as it relates to firearms. Our U.S. Commercial Firearms Policy was implemented in 2018 and pertained to sale of firearms by our retail clients and partners. The policy was intended to promote the adoption of best sales practices as prudent risk management and didn’t address the manufacturing of firearms. Many retailers have been following these best practices, and we hope communities and lawmakers will continue to seek out ways to prevent the tragic consequences of gun violence.
These changes reinforce our commitment to serve all clients fairly, and we will continue to work with regulators and elected officials on ways to improve transparency and trust in the banking sector.
After the school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary school and Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, anti-gunner activists pressured banks and other companies to take action against gun sellers, hoping to cripple them financially.
Anti-gunner advocacy groups like Guns Down America and Everytown for Gun Safety launched full-on pressure campaigns to push major banks to restrict services to firearms companies. Citigroup was one of several major financial institutions that acquiesced. It implemented a policy prohibiting the sale of firearms to individuals younger than 21. The bank banned sales of bump stocks and high-capacity magazines. It required companies using its services to conduct background checks for all gun purchases.
Companies that did not comply with these restrictions were barred from raising capital through Citigroup.
On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump consistently slammed banks and other companies for targeting conservatives. “Many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business,” he said. Trump urged them to “open your bank to conservatives, because what you’re doing is wrong.”
In March 2025, the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against Capital One, claiming it closed hundreds of accounts over political affiliations.
Citigroup’s change of heart is a welcome one. The notion that banks should aid the anti-gunner movement in restricting people’s ability to keep and bear arms is absurd on its face. This policy likely saved exactly zero lives while making it harder for law-abiding Americans to purchase firearms for self protection. Perhaps more companies will follow suit.
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