Southern Poverty Law Center Interim President and CEO Bryan Fair reaffirmed Tuesday that his organization considers Turning Point USA a hate group, drawing sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who questioned the group’s decision to place the organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk on its controversial “Hate Map.”
The exchange came during a House Judiciary Committee hearing that largely focused on allegations surrounding the SPLC’s operations and its role in identifying organizations it deems extremist or hateful.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) pressed Fair on whether the SPLC regretted classifying Turning Point USA alongside white nationalist organizations following the murder of Kirk in September.
Conservatives have long accused the SPLC of weaponizing its hate designations against mainstream right-leaning organizations that oppose progressive positions on issues such as immigration, gender identity, religion and education. Critics argue the labels unfairly stigmatize political opponents and can expose them to threats and harassment.
Roy attempted to question Fair about the organization’s treatment of Kirk and Turning Point USA before Fair interrupted to emphasize that the SPLC condemned Kirk’s killing.
“We unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk,” Fair said.
Roy responded by asking specifically whether the SPLC stood by its classification of Turning Point USA.
“What about the listing of Charlie Kirk?” Roy asked.
Fair made clear the organization has not changed its position.
“It is our position that TPUSA expresses views and vilifies other people based on immutable characteristics, exposing them to our listing,” Fair replied.
Founded by Kirk in 2012, Turning Point USA grew into one of the most influential conservative youth organizations in the country, building a significant presence on college campuses and becoming a major force within Republican politics. Supporters view the organization as a counterweight to progressive activism in higher education, while critics accuse it of promoting divisive rhetoric.
The SPLC doubled down on its criticism of Turning Point USA in its newly released 2025 “Year in Hate” report, published Tuesday.
In the report, the organization described TPUSA as part of the “hard right” operating on college campuses.
“Turning Point is a large, well-funded, and politically well-connected group within the hard right that brings bigoted speakers and professional provocateurs to college campuses,” the report states.
The designation has increasingly drawn scrutiny beyond Congress.
On Monday, nonprofit watchdog 1792 Exchange released a letter signed by 15 organizations, including Turning Point USA, PragerU and Focus on the Family, urging corporate donation platform Benevity to stop relying on SPLC classifications when evaluating nonprofit groups.
The coalition argued that the SPLC’s designations are politically motivated and unfairly target organizations with mainstream conservative viewpoints.
“The coalition has expanded with the addition of Turning Point USA, PragerU, and Focus on the Family, joining a powerful group of mainstream organizations that have been slanderously labeled ‘hate groups’ by the SPLC, not for any violence or extremism, but solely for dissenting from progressive orthodoxy on issues of life, family, faith, and liberty,” the letter stated.
Critics argue that the controversy extends beyond disagreements over political labels. Many conservatives contend that when mainstream organizations with millions of supporters are placed on “hate group” lists alongside violent extremists and racial supremacist organizations, it can contribute to a climate in which political opponents are viewed as morally illegitimate or even dangerous. They argue that such characterizations blur the distinction between normal political disagreement and actual extremism, normalizing hostility and violence toward conservative activists and institutions.
Those concerns intensified after Kirk’s murder, with critics arguing that years of rhetoric portraying figures such as Kirk and organizations like Turning Point USA as hateful or extremist can contribute to an atmosphere in which political violence becomes easier for unstable individuals to rationalize.
Tuesday’s hearing also featured questions about a pending federal case involving the SPLC. Lawmakers repeatedly sought answers from Fair regarding allegations that have generated scrutiny of the organization.
Fair largely declined to discuss the matter, stating that attorneys would address the claims through the legal process.
The confrontation highlighted the growing divide between conservatives and the SPLC, which for decades has positioned itself as a leading watchdog against extremism. While supporters argue the organization plays an important role in tracking hate groups and extremist movements, critics contend it has increasingly expanded its definitions to include mainstream conservative and religious organizations.
That debate has only intensified following Kirk’s death. While the SPLC continues to condemn the murder and reject political violence, it also remains unwilling to back away from its assessment of the organization he founded.
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