by Mark Chesnut - Thursday, June 12, 2025
Citibank’s apparent reversal of its punitive policy of discriminating against companies in the firearm business is a big win for America’s hunters, as well as all other lawful gun owners in the nation.
In a news release titled “Reinforcing our Commitment to Fair Access to Financial Services,” Citigroup, owner of Citibank, said it appreciates the concerns that are being raised regarding “fair access” to banking services and is making changes concerning businesses related to firearms.
“We will no longer have a specific policy as it relates to firearms,” the press release stated. “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.”
The release also stated: “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.”
The National Rifle Association has been fighting this trend aimed at preventing law-abiding Americans from exercising their constitutional rights through financial chicanery for seven years. At that time, Citibank unashamedly announced its new policy of cutting services to those in the gun business.
“We know that the actions we are taking today will invite passion on both sides,” CEO Ed Skyler said in a blog post at the time. “We don't have the perfect solution but we have come to the conclusion that we must do our part to keep guns out of the hands of those who wish to do harm. And we hope our actions help achieve that vital goal.”
Citibank’s policy specifically required “new retail sector clients or partners” to refrain from selling standard-capacity magazines, to prohibit the sale of firearms to law-abiding adults aged 18 to 20 years old, and to ignore a vital statutory safety valve provision that permits a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) to transfer a firearm three days after an “instant” background check has been initiated if it remains unresolved.
During the seven years since the policy was enacted, many small firearm businesses lost their banking services and were either forced out of business or severely crippled by the anti-gun policies of Citibank and other large financial institutions.
John Commerford, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), said his organization was glad to hear about the stated reversal of the policy.
“The NRA welcomes the news that Citigroup has rescinded its discriminatory debanking policies targeting gun manufacturers and dealers,” Commerford said. “Citigroup and other banks were pressured by left-wing activists to implement these measures in an attempt to restrict the lawful sale of firearms.”
As NRA-ILA pointed out in a recent news item, the announced change in policy isn’t the same thing as the company actually changing the policy.
“Only time will tell if the Citi announcement truly represents a significant change in policy,” the story stated. “Its statement announcing the change tried to justify the prior policy as ‘intended to promote the adoption of best sales practices,’ and mentioned ‘[m]any retailers have been following these best practices … .’ It is also concerning that the new policy continues to suggest (again, in the lingo of the anti-gun advocacy crowd) that gun control is still the preferable outcome.”
Financial institutions’ wrongful discrimination against firearm-related companies has even caught the attention of legislators on Capitol Hill. This session alone, several measures have been introduced to try to quash the practice on the federal level.
One such measure is the Fair Access to Banking Act, which is being considered in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), author of the Senate measure, said in a press release announcing the legislation that such discriminatory practices must end.
“When progressives failed at banning these entire industries, what they did instead is they turned to weaponizing banks as sort of a backdoor to carry out their activist goals,” Sen. Cramer said. “Financial institutions are backed by taxpayers, for crying out loud! They should be obligated to provide services in an unbiased, risk-based manner.”
As we’ve mentioned in previous news stories, policies and legislation that affect gun owners also affect hunters. As such, this NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum website will remain in the forefront of keeping America’s hunters informed of any actions that could affect their hunting way of life.
About the Author
Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC in Jenks, Okla. An avid hunter, shooter and field-trialer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for over 25 years.