Stripe terminates payment processing for Trump campaign after January 6 Capitol attack
On approximately January 10–11, 2021, the payment processor Stripe stopped handling transactions for the Donald J. Trump for President campaign, citing violations of policies prohibiting the encouragement or incitement of violence in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The termination was one of a wave of platform actions against Trump that week. Trump and supporters characterized the coordinated actions as political censorship of a sitting U.S. president.
Dates: Capitol attack January 6, 2021; Stripe termination reported January 10–11, 2021. Parties: Stripe; Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; Save America PAC; contemporaneous actions by Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and others. What happened: According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal and Axios, Stripe determined that the Trump campaign had violated policies against inciting violence in connection with the January 6 events and ceased processing the account's payments. Stripe's stated reason: Violation of policy prohibiting incitement or encouragement of violence. Trump campaign's response: Characterized the simultaneous actions across financial and social platforms as coordinated political censorship. Outcome: No public litigation against Stripe specifically. The campaign shifted to other processors. The broader deplatforming wave became a central Republican policy grievance regarding Big Tech power and Section 230. Trump later launched Truth Social.