TLDR
- Vice President JD Vance faces criticism from Trump allies over his ties to Palantir Technologies, co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel who funded Vance’s Senate campaign
- Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, and Joe Rogan have publicly questioned Palantir’s expanding government role and surveillance capabilities
- Palantir has secured billions in federal contracts since Trump took office, including a $10 billion Army deal, with stock price tripling post-election
- Critics worry Palantir’s AI and data tools combined with Trump’s data-sharing executive order could enable mass government surveillance
- Vance defends his relationship with Palantir while trying to balance his Silicon Valley ties with populist GOP base
Vice President JD Vance confronts mounting pressure from within Donald Trump’s coalition over his relationship with Palantir Technologies. The criticism represents an unexpected turn, with longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone recently telling Vance that Palantir represents his biggest concern for the country.
Palantir Technologies Inc., PLTR
The data analytics company has become a flashpoint among conservatives who previously supported Vance’s political rise. Peter Thiel, Palantir’s co-founder, gave Vance one of his first jobs and contributed $15 million to his 2022 Ohio Senate campaign.
Steve Bannon compared Palantir to a science fiction villain. Podcast host Joe Rogan called the company “creepy” on his top-ranked show. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer accused Palantir of trying to “infiltrate” the administration to secure defense contracts.
At an October event at the University of Mississippi, Vance pushed back on what he termed “this internet meme” about his Palantir connections. “Palantir is a private company,” Vance said. “They sometimes do a useful service, and sometimes they’re going to do things that we don’t like.”
Billions Flow to Defense Contractor
Palantir has received dozens of contracts worth billions since Trump took office. The Army awarded the company a decade-long deal valued at up to $10 billion.
Recent contracts span multiple agencies. The Department of Homeland Security hired Palantir to investigate wedding-based immigration schemes. The IRS brought the company on to identify cost savings. The State Department contracted with Palantir to track threats against Americans and diplomats abroad.
Palantir’s stock price has nearly tripled since Trump’s election victory. Federal agencies award new work to the firm almost weekly.
CEO Alex Karp initially backed Democrat Kamala Harris for president but shifted after Trump won. He donated $1 million to a pro-Trump super PAC a month after the election. Palantir ads appeared over Trump and Vance’s box at the Army-Navy game.
Surveillance Fears Unite Critics
An executive order Trump signed in March directs agencies to share data with each other. The order doesn’t mention surveillance or Palantir but has intensified concerns about potential overreach.
Critics worry Palantir’s analytical tools combined with AI, facial recognition, and predictive algorithms could enable mass surveillance. Stone told his radio audience he doesn’t want “Big Brother knowing everything about me.”
Comedian Theo Von pressed Vance about Palantir’s “really scary” capabilities during a summer interview. Vance downplayed the company’s role as “just connecting information” between agencies. Von later called Vance’s response a “political answer.”
Palantir has defended itself through media appearances and public statements. Karp described the company as patriotic and told Fortune its software is a tool “to make America so strong we never fight.” The company published a statement saying “we are not a surveillance company” and “we do not sell personal data of any kind.”
Vance argues private companies collecting consumer data pose a greater privacy threat than Palantir’s government work. He claimed at the Mississippi event that he has fought against intrusive data collection since his Senate campaign.
None of Trump’s 213 executive orders since taking office have emphasized consumer data protections. Trump recently endorsed blocking state regulations on AI companies.
Jacob Helberg, a former adviser to Karp, now holds a top position at the State Department. When asked whom he hoped would replace Trump, Karp described someone resembling Vance without naming him directly.
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