Palantir hires a former Democratic senator as it faces scrutiny in new Congress

Palantir has hired former Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana as an adviser while preparing for a Congress expected to scrutinize technology companies’ work with the Trump administration. Tester says his role is advisory, not lobbying, and that he will focus on Palantir’s government-services work, including efforts involving farmers and veterans. He argues the company has a positive case to make and shares his commitment to privacy. In the Senate, Tester opposed the PATRIOT Act and its expansion of government surveillance, but says Palantir differs because it does not build large databases or trade in private data.

The company’s government contracts, worth about $2 billion, are concentrated in the Defense, Homeland Security and State departments. Democrats have questioned whether Palantir’s tools support surveillance of Americans, while former employees criticized a $30 million Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract for a system offering near-real-time visibility into migrants’ movements. Palantir denies enabling mass surveillance. Sen. Ron Wyden says he intends to renew questions about the company’s use of government data and may pursue compulsory measures if it does not respond. The hiring also reflects a broader trend of tech firms recruiting former Democrats ahead of a shift in congressional power. Critics see these hires as efforts to blunt accountability, especially as Palantir CEO Alex Karp has backed restrictive immigration policies and criticized Democrats.