Guns, Booze, And Gambling Stocks Are Crushing ESG In Trump's America

Nearly six months into President Donald Trump's second term, the market has picked its winners—and it's not on ESG, the strategy built around environmental, social and governance principles.

As deregulation gains steam and culture wars escalate, a group of so-called “sin stocks” tied to guns, booze, tobacco, and gambling is sharply beating clean investing strategies.

Sin Stocks Are Smoking ESG—and Trump Might Be The Reason

Since Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, the USA Mutuals Vice Fund (NASDAQ:VICEX), a portfolio built around industries typically shunned by ethical investors, has jumped 16.4%. By contrast:

The Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (NYSE:ESGV) is up just 3.5%.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) gained 4.2%.

The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) rose 6%.

This shift reflects a broader investor reallocation toward industries that benefit from Trump's deregulatory, America-first agenda—and away from sectors screened for ESG compliance.