#ADL – Anti-Defamation League vs #FBI The “vs.” in ADL vs. FBI refers to FBI Director #KashPatel’s October 2025 decision to end long-standing partnerships with the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and SPLC, citing accusations from conservatives, including Elon Musk, that the ADL functions as a “political front” spying on Americans and targeting conservatives, which Patel deemed inappropriate for FBI collaboration, despite the ADL’s historical role in training agents against antisemitism. This split reflects a shift in FBI priorities under the Trump administration, ending decades of cooperation with these groups that monitor extremism. [1, 2, 3, 4] Background of the Partnership: For decades, the

#ADL – Anti-Defamation League vs  #FBI

The “vs.” in ADL vs. FBI refers to FBI Director  #KashPatel‘s October 2025 decision to end long-standing partnerships with the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and SPLC, citing accusations from conservatives, including Elon Musk, that the ADL functions as a “political front” spying on Americans and targeting conservatives, which Patel deemed inappropriate for FBI collaboration, despite the ADL’s historical role in training agents against antisemitism. This split reflects a shift in FBI priorities under the Trump administration, ending decades of cooperation with these groups that monitor extremism. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Background of the Partnership:

For decades, the ADL partnered with the FBI, providing training on antisemitism and extremism, with FBI agents even visiting the Holocaust Museum through ADL programs.
The FBI viewed the ADL as a valuable source of intelligence on extremist threats, as noted in past positive remarks by former FBI Director James Comey. [1, 5, 6]

The Breakup (October 2025):

Reason for the Split: FBI Director Kash Patel announced the end of ties, accusing the ADL of being a “political front masquerading as a watchdog”.
Catalyst: The decision followed conservative criticism, notably from Elon Musk, who accused the ADL of targeting Christians and being biased, especially after the ADL included right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in its “Glossary of Extremism”.
Patel’s Stance: Patel argued that the ADL’s actions, including tracking conservatives, constituted spying and made them unfit for partnership, ending an era of collaboration. [1, 2, 3, 5]

ADL’s Response:

The ADL expressed deep respect for the FBI but noted the concerning timing amidst rising antisemitism.
The organization maintains it respects the law and Constitution, countering accusations of spying. [5, 7, 8]

Wider Context:

This move also involved cutting ties with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), another group tracking extremism, signaling a significant change in how the FBI engages with civil society groups monitoring hate. [3, 9]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1]  aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/5…
[2]  aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/2…
[3]  theguardian.com/us-news/2025…
[4]  axios.com/2025/10/04/trump-f…
[5]  youtube.com/watch?v=a2FwltyT…
[6]  youtube.com/watch?v=JnFsBs-L…
[7]  jstreet.org/press-releases/j…
[8]  nytimes.com/1993/10/24/us/an…
[9]  philanthropy.com/news/fbi-cu…

– Google Search  google.com/search?q=ADL+-+An…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Jan 4, 2026