Palantir's Alex Karp calls himself progressive after blue wave
The gist
Palantir CEO Alex Karp called himself a progressive eight times in a Politico interview after Democrats' midterm wins.
The label lands as his spy-tech firm profits from Trump-era federal contracts.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2025Since President Trump's January inauguration, Palantir has won more than $900 million in federal contracts and its share price has more than doubled.
- May 1, 2025Karp described himself as a "progressive warrior" whose past support for Democrats, including Kamala Harris for president, contrasted with co-founder Peter Thiel, a longtime Trump backer.
- Jan 20, 2026Karp, who often called himself a "card-carrying progressive," said AI will eliminate the need for mass immigration; Palantir's software has played a major role in helping ICE find and deport undocumented immigrants.
Key terms
- midterm
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
- ICE
- Federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security that enforces immigration and customs laws.
- Democratic Socialists of America
- A socialist political organization in the United States advocating democratic socialism through electoral politics, labor organizing, and direct action.
Source: Wikipedia