Eliminating “politicized or unlawful debanking” in the federal banking system is the subject of two bulletins issued Monday by the national bank regulator in an effort, the agency said, to “end the weaponization of the financial system.”
That is, if such politicized or unlawful debanking can be found, the agency said.
In a release, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said it was working to “root out bank activities that unlawfully debank or discriminate against customers on the basis of political or religious beliefs, or lawful business activities.”
“If and when the OCC identifies such activity, it will take action to end it,” said Comptroller Jonathan V. Gould.
The OCC said it issued two bulletins Monday: Bulletin 2025-22, “Consideration of Politicized or Unlawful Debanking,” and Bulletin 2025-23, “Protecting Customer Financial Records.” The former bulletin, the OCC said, clarifies how the agency considers politicized or unlawful debanking in certain licensing filings and in assessing banks’ records of performance under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
“Specifically, the OCC considers a bank’s past record and current policies and procedures to avoid engaging in politicized or unlawful debanking when the agency evaluates the applicable statutory and regulatory factors for licensing activities. Debanking considerations are also assessed in determining a bank’s CRA rating,” the agency said.
The latter bulletin, the agency said, “reminds financial institutions of the limited circumstances that allow for the release of customer financial records and the proper use of suspicious activity reports (SARs).”
Both bulletins were spurred by President Donald Trump’s (R) Executive Order 14331, “Guaranteeing Fair Banking For All Americans,” issued Aug. 7. On Aug. 22, legislation to codify the order was introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), where it has been referred to the Financial Services and Small Business Committees. No further action has been taken on the bill.
The agency said it is also encouraging banks to ensure their policies and procedures align with EO 14331 to avoid unlawful debanking. It said it has “initially requested” information from the nine largest banks it regulates regarding their debanking activities. The OCC called that “part of its ongoing review to assess politicized or unlawful debanking and consistent with its tailored and risk-based approach to supervision.”
OCC Announces Actions to Depoliticize the Federal Banking System
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