Palantir Technologies co-founder Peter Thiel looms large over American politics. He mentors future political kingpins, such as J.D. Vance, helping to launch their political careers and futures. Thiel’s connections to former President Donald Trump and his financial support for Vance’s political ambitions have raised concerns about the implications of his influence on the country’s governance and data privacy.
Thiel’s long-time relationship with Vance started when Thiel introduced Vance to Trump. This introduction would turn out to be decisive as Vance soon emerged as a top contender to be Trump’s vice-presidential pick. At one of Thiel’s venture funds, he mentored Vance—and so their bond grew further. It was here that Vance learned the most important lessons about these strange worlds we call politics and business.
Venture capitalist Peter Thiel turned Vance into a real player with millions of dollars and actively supported Vance. He mentored David Sacks, who had worked with him before at PayPal. These three figures are more intertwined than perhaps any other state in a way that’s truly stunning. Properly understood, their relationship can and should transform political discourse and governance in the United States.
Thiel’s financial backing extended to Vance’s 2022 senatorial campaign, where he contributed significantly to bolster Vance’s candidacy. This significant financial investment serves to further illustrate Thiel’s commitment to impacting the political environment to elect more candidates who share the libertarian billionaire’s dream.
Thiel’s influence doesn’t end at the political realm. He’s the single largest stakeholder in Palantir, a company famous for its high-powered data analytics and close ties to multiple U.S. government agencies. Lawmakers have raised alarms about Palantir’s role in combining data from these agencies, particularly given the extensive government contract awarded to the company recently. Respondents feel that the potential for misuse of power becomes much greater with such a concentration of data.
Palantir’s CEO, Alex Karp, articulated the company’s mission regarding its partnerships with government institutions:
“to disrupt and make the institutions we partner with the very best in the world and, when it’s necessary, to scare enemies and on occasion kill them.” – Alex Karp
This curious proclamation has opened the door to deeper discussion on the moral ramifications of Palantir’s work, as well as Palantir’s relationship to government power itself. In the background, Palantir is quickly making inroads into more sensitive aspects of governance. As it does, worries are growing about how the enormous trove of data it gathers could be used against students.
Thiel’s $1.25 million in support of Trump’s re-election campaign is pretty head-scratching as well. And news reports say he spent a jaw-dropping $250 million trying to prove that those dreams could be realized. His role in shaping this massive influx of funding is a perfect illustration of the intersection of wealth, power and politics.
Thiel and other influential figures, including Elon Musk and David Sacks, have been accused of gutting the government. Critics contend that they do so without adequate congressional oversight. At the same time, their actions have caused many to wonder if critical social programs will even be around.
Representative Warren Davidson expressed concerns over data privacy related to Palantir’s operations:
“When you start combining all those data points on an individual into one database, it really essentially creates a digital ID. And it’s a power that history says will eventually be abused.” – Representative Warren Davidson
This warning is symptomatic of larger fears about how technology can be used to subvert individual liberty and civil rights. The impact of these data collection practices presents serious harm, particularly as public confidence in government institutions continues to erode.
Thiel’s ideological orientation—libertarianism—has for decades shaped his view of what governance and societal structures should look like. He has made controversial statements regarding American democracy, asserting that the expansion of welfare and voting rights since the 1920s contradicts libertarian ideals:
“The 1920s were the last decade in American history during which one could be genuinely optimistic about politics. Since 1920, the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries and the extension of the franchise to women – two constituencies that are notoriously tough for libertarians – have rendered the notion of ‘capitalist democracy’ into an oxymoron.” – Peter Thiel
Thiel’s perspective inadvertently highlights a profound and crucial contradiction between capitalist principles and democratic values. The latter, he argues, is evidence that we may be departing from conventional governance paradigms.
The more influential Palantir becomes, the more it shapes how governments across the spectrum use data and technology to make important decisions. By informing national security actors and law enforcement with its data-driven analysis of massive amounts of information, the company has become an essential component. With this extraordinary power comes great responsibility and significant questions regarding accountability and transparency.