Palantir CEO Slams Democrats for Opposing DOGE
“This is going to ruin those people,” says Alex Karp regarding adversaries of DOGE.
As numerous Democrats oppose Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a prominent tech figure and habitual Democratic donor has expressed reservations about their resistance, marking the latest critique from the tech sector towards a political party it previously supported.
Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies, shared his thoughts on the political party he frequently backs in an interview aired on CNBC’s Squawk Box on February 17.
Karp, who co-founded the software company Palantir Technologies—one of the leading defense contractors—alongside Peter Thiel, noted for his strong conservative libertarian views.
He criticized the progressive left’s widespread opposition to DOGE, suggesting that a significant portion of Americans supports its role in identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in federal expenditures.
“This is yet another instance of the progressive left putting themselves into a spiral of self-destruction,” he continued, questioning whether this faction is attempting to genuinely engage with Musk.
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“Why don’t we know where every dollar we spend goes? How can that be explained to the public?” he asked, emphasizing that DOGE’s application of artificial intelligence (AI) is a potent tool for enhancing transparency in government spending.
“It seems the critics of Elon are determined to oppose this. And this will be very detrimental to them,” Karp stated.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who regularly protests against DOGE, responded to The Epoch Times by stating that dialogue between progressive Democrats and Musk is challenging due to “the difficulty of engaging with an oligarch who seeks to undermine our democracy.”
“There are numerous conflicts of interest that should alarm progressives about Musk’s initiatives,” Blumenthal remarked, pointing to the potential for Musk to have access to data from his business competitors.
However, Blumenthal expressed willingness to converse with Karp, “or anyone else.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) providing testimony from Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar, who previously served as the director of Engineering for Protect and Care at Facebook, in Berkeley, California, before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on November 7, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
Karp, who identifies as a socialist and holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, has contributed significant amounts to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. His donations have also supported various individual Democrats, including Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Jason Crow (D-Colo.).
In recent times, he has increased his financial support for the GOP, contributing to figures such as Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who was President Donald Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Karp indicated that a pivotal moment for him was the October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas on Israel, part of a continuing cycle of violence between the state and Palestinian leadership.
Months into the conflict, he took a show of solidarity by flying his company’s board to Israel. The firm operates a branch in that nation.
Karp, being Jewish, criticized other tech leaders for not publicly supporting Israel as vocally as he had.
“Many refrain from speaking out because they think they can avoid forming an opinion, but everyone, especially large companies, has a stance on Israel,” the tech executive remarked at that time.
As the 2024 elections approach, Karp stated he would be “voting against Trump,” despite his hesitations towards the Democrats, supporting the campaigns of both former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Other leaders in the tech industry are distancing themselves from the party that previously found strong allies in Silicon Valley during President Barack Obama’s term.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg donated to Trump’s inaugural fund and, during a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, claimed that the Biden administration compelled Facebook to censor content related to COVID-19.
The Epoch Times has also reached out to Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), a member of the House DOGE Caucus, for commentary on Karp’s statements.
