The Southern Poverty Law Center just slapped Turning Point USA onto its 2024 “Hate Map,” and Charlie Kirk isn’t having it.
The SPLC, based in Birmingham, Alabama, branded Turning Point USA an “antigovernment extremist group” in its annual report released Friday, prompting sharp rebukes from Kirk and billionaire Elon Musk.
The Washington Examiner reported that this move adds Turning Point, a nonprofit founded in 2012 to promote free-market and limited-government principles on campuses, to a controversial list alongside groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Conservatives argue the SPLC’s map unfairly targets mainstream right-leaning organizations.
Turning Point USA, known for mobilizing young conservatives, found itself in the SPLC’s crosshairs for its campus activism. The SPLC’s report claims Turning Point’s efforts “sow fear and division” to enforce “supremacist” hierarchies, a charge Kirk called pure nonsense.
“It’s 2025, and nobody with a functioning brain buys their garbage anymore,” Kirk posted on X, dismissing the SPLC as a “laughingstock.”
The SPLC’s 2024 report lists 1,371 “hate and antigovernment extremist” groups, down 5% from last year. It attributes this drop to groups shifting from street activism to influencing government policy. Yet, conservatives argue the SPLC’s map casts too wide a net, lumping reputable organizations with fringe extremists.
Other groups like Moms for Liberty, PragerU, and the Family Research Council also landed on the SPLC’s list. PragerU’s spokesperson, Marissa Streit, called the SPLC a “hate group pretending to be an anti-hate organization” after it labeled Dennis Prager, a prominent Jewish conservative, a “white supremacist.” The SPLC didn’t even bother contacting PragerU before adding it to the map.
The SPLC’s report also critiques efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, claiming they aim to “whitewash American society.”
It frames DEI as addressing systemic disparities, not promoting “reverse racism” as critics allege. This perspective fuels conservative skepticism, with many seeing the SPLC’s agenda as a progressive overreach.
The SPLC has faced its scandals, notably in 2019 when founder Morris Dees was fired amid allegations of mistreatment and discrimination. A letter signed by two dozen employees detailed claims of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and racism. Margaret Huang took over as CEO in 2020, promising a leadership overhaul.
More recently, the SPLC announced layoffs of about 80 staff members—roughly 25% of its workforce—due to a $13 million budget deficit.
Union members responded with a no-confidence vote in August, signaling internal turmoil. For an organization with a lavish Birmingham headquarters, these financial woes raise eyebrows.
Critics point to the SPLC’s “hate map” as a tool that’s lost its edge, especially after it was linked to a 2012 attack on the Family Research Council. A gunman, later sentenced to 25 years, targeted the group after finding it listed as an anti-LGBTQ organization on the SPLC’s map. Such incidents fuel arguments that the SPLC’s labels can inspire violence rather than curb it.
Charlie Kirk didn’t mince words, calling the SPLC a “hollowed-out husk” that’s torched its credibility. “They’re not just irrelevant—they’re a cautionary tale,” he posted on X. His fiery response reflects a broader conservative frustration with the SPLC’s tactics.
Elon Musk echoed Kirk, bluntly labeling the SPLC a “scam organization” on X. The billionaire’s jab underscores a growing distrust among high-profile conservatives who see the SPLC as weaponizing its influence against political opponents. It’s a sentiment shared by many on the right.
The SPLC’s influence has also drawn scrutiny from House Republicans, who launched a 2023 investigation after visitor logs revealed SPLC officials met with White House staff at least 11 times during the Biden administration. This coziness with power raises questions about the group’s objectivity. Actions, as they say, have consequences.
Curiously, the SPLC’s 2024 report sidesteps the surge in campus antisemitism following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Only 14 of the 1,371 listed groups were tagged as antisemitic, including some Nation of Islam chapters, with no mention of campus protest groups like National Students for Justice in Palestine. This omission strikes many as a glaring blind spot.
National Students for Justice in Palestine released a “Day of Resistance” template in October 2023, featuring a Hamas paraglider, which was used by university chapters. The SPLC’s silence on this issue contrasts sharply with its focus on conservative groups. It’s hard not to wonder where their priorities lie.
