Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk warnings resurface after SPLC federal indictment
Social media posts from billionaire Elon Musk and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk criticizing the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) have resurfaced after the group was indicted by the Department of Justice.
The SPLC, a left-leaning nonprofit, was indicted on 11 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering, according to the Justice Department.
"The SPLC is an evil organization that spreads hate propaganda relentlessly. It needs to be shut down," Musk wrote on X last October.
Kirk was even more direct, labeling the SPLC a "hate group" in 2023. Months before his death, Kirk criticized the SPLC over its decision to add Turning Point USA to a list of hate groups.
"Being on their list is a badge of honor. It means they’re terrified that we’re so effective. Keep crying, SPLC—America’s done with your scam," Kirk wrote in May 2025.
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The DOJ alleges the nonprofit "secretly funneled" millions in donor funds to members of extremist groups, and federal prosecutors allege the SPLC used "fictitious entities" to disguise where the payments were coming from.
The SPLC has defended its actions, saying it paid these individuals as informants to report on extremist activities.
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Legal analyst and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley weighed in on the case Wednesday on "Fox & Friends."
"The irony is also that it was the Center that sought to seize assets from groups like the KKK. Now the U.S. government is trying to, through forfeiture, seize the assets of the Center," Turley said.
He noted that it’s "very rare" to see a non-law enforcement organization running these types of operations, allegedly paying informants to steal documents. Turley described the SPLC as having drifted into being a "more blatantly political organization."
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The DOJ claims that between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC funneled over $3 million to members of groups including the Aryan Nations, the National Socialist Party of America and the United Klans of America.
The SPLC has criticized conservative groups and individuals in the past, including Turning Point USA and Musk. After Kirk’s death last year, it accused the "hard right" of using the situation to promote "conspiracy theories" and attack educators.
Last year, the SPLC posted about Elon Musk on its website, saying the Tesla CEO made a Nazi salute during an inaugural event for President Donald Trump. Musk denied the accusation on X, calling the narrative part of a "dirty tricks" strategy.
