Donald Trump sharply criticized the Southern Poverty Law Center after a federal indictment was unsealed, saying that if the accusations are confirmed, the results of the 2020 presidential election should be “permanently wiped from the books.”

In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump described the SPLC as “one of the greatest political scams in American history” and called the case “another Democrat hoax,” tying the allegations to broader concerns about left-leaning advocacy groups and their fundraising practices.

The comments followed news that a federal grand jury in Alabama charged the SPLC with 11 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to prosecutors, the organization allegedly redirected about $3 million in donor funds to individuals connected to extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi organizations over a period spanning 2014 through 2023.

The indictment claims the SPLC concealed these payments through the use of shell companies and deceptive financial reporting, while continuing to present itself publicly as an organization dedicated to fighting extremism.

Prosecutors said the nonprofit misrepresented how donations were used, raising serious concerns about its transparency and accountability to contributors.

“The SPLC was not dismantling these groups,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a Justice Department press briefing.

“It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”

The case represents one of the most significant federal prosecutions ever brought against a well-known civil rights organization and comes amid long-standing criticism from conservatives who argue the SPLC operates with political bias against right-leaning individuals and groups.

Trump pointed to the indictment as confirmation of those criticisms, suggesting that the alleged conduct could have broader implications.

“If it is true, the 2020 Presidential Election should be permanently wiped from the books and be of no further force or effect!” Trump wrote.

The president’s remarks reflect his ongoing challenges to the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which he has repeatedly questioned, pointing to claims of voter fraud.

Trump and his allies have maintained that emerging information about political organizations and influence efforts justifies renewed scrutiny.

The indictment outlines what prosecutors describe as a long-running scheme in which money was routed through disguised accounts and fictitious businesses to compensate informants placed within extremist groups.

In some instances, prosecutors allege, payments reached into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, including funds sent to an individual associated with the 2017 Charlottesville rally, an event that resulted in one death and became a major flashpoint in national debates over extremism and political violence.

Officials with the SPLC have denied the allegations, saying their use of confidential informants was a lawful method of gathering intelligence on dangerous groups.

The organization said it intends to contest the charges in court.