Ties Cut

FBI Director Kash Patel cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) after conservatives criticized the organization for classifying Turning Point USA as extremist.

Context

The Anti-Defamation League has worked with federal law enforcement agencies for decades to combat hate crimes and track extremist activity. The FBI had collaborated with the ADL since the 1940s on research and training programs addressing civil rights violations and hate crimes. The partnership included embedding FBI agents within the ADL and hosting joint training sessions for state and local law enforcement.

Ties Cut

FBI Director Kash Patel announced last week that the bureau was cutting ties with the ADL, stating in a social media post that the FBI “won’t partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs.” 

Patel accused former FBI Director James Comey of having “embedded FBI agents” within the ADL and described past collaborations as “disgraceful ops spying on Americans.” The decision followed criticism from conservatives, including Elon Musk, after the ADL included Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA in its “Glossary of Extremism and Hate.”

Kirk Controversy

The ADL faced backlash after listing Turning Point USA in its extremism glossary, which described the conservative organization as having ties to right-wing extremists and generating support from “anti-Muslim bigots” and “white supremacists.” Following Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University in September, conservatives intensified their criticism of the ADL’s classification. Musk referred to the ADL as “a hate group” on social media, while representatives questioned the organization’s criteria for labeling groups as extremist.

ADL’s Response

The ADL removed its entire “Glossary of Extremism and Hate” from its website last week, the day before Patel cut ties with the organization, stating that many entries had become outdated and were being “intentionally misrepresented and misused.” The organization said it respected the FBI and law enforcement and planned to explore new ways to present its research. Officials described the move as part of a broader FBI review of partnerships with external organizations to ensure independence and avoid perceptions of political influence.