President Donald Trump has filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive Jamie Dimon, accusing the bank of cutting off his accounts for political reasons after he left office in 2021.The civil suit, lodged in Miami-Dade County court in Florida, claims the United States’ largest bank abruptly closed several accounts linked to Trump and his businesses in February 2021, giving just 60 days’ notice and no detailed explanation. Trump argues the decision caused serious financial and reputational damage, disrupted business operations and forced him to move funds to other banks under pressure.According to the complaint, the closures followed the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and came amid what Trump’s lawyers describe as a broader effort by financial institutions to distance themselves from conservative figures.
Allegations of blacklist and reputational harm
Trump alleges that JPMorgan violated its own internal policies by singling him out to “ride the political tide”. The lawsuit accuses Dimon of overseeing a malicious “blacklist” that allegedly warned other banks against doing business with Trump, his family members and Trump Organisation entities.The complaint says Trump personally raised the issue with Dimon after receiving notice of the closures and was assured the matter would be looked into, but no follow-up ever came.
As a result, Trump claims he and his businesses suffered extensive reputational harm by having to approach other financial institutions and explain that they had been “debanked”.Trump’s lawyers argue that JPMorgan’s actions were driven by political and social motivations, describing the bank’s use of “reputational risk” as a pretext rooted in what they call unsubstantiated “woke” beliefs. The lawsuit accuses JPMorgan of trade libel and alleges Dimon violated Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
JPMorgan rejects claims as tensions rise with Wall Street
JPMorgan has strongly denied the allegations, saying the case has “no merit” and that it does not close accounts for political or religious reasons. The bank said accounts are terminated only when they create legal or regulatory risk, adding that it regrets having to do so but often faces regulatory expectations that leave little choice.The lawsuit comes amid growing tensions between the White House and major banks. Trump has recently criticised lenders over alleged debanking practices and proposed a 10 per cent cap on credit card interest rates, drawing sharp opposition from the financial industry. Dimon warned this week that such a cap would restrict access to credit and amount to an economic disaster.
