Ten Democratic lawmakers pressed Palantir on Monday to explain its growing portfolio of federal work under the Trump administration, citing worries that the company’s data-analytics tools could help create a vast, centralized file on Americans.
In a letter reviewed by The New York Times, Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — joined by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and six other Democrats — demanded that Palantir “preserve all records” and provide details on every current U.S. government contract. The lawmakers referenced a May Times report showing the firm has secured more than $113 million in federal spending since President Trump took office, and that White House officials are exploring ways to merge agency data streams using Palantir software.
The signatories warn that such consolidation could be weaponized to police immigrants or retaliate against political adversaries. Republican voices have also flagged the risks: Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) recently called a single government data hub “dangerous,” saying it amounts to a “digital ID” ripe for abuse.
Palantir rejects the accusation. After the Times article, the company said on X that the story was “blatantly untrue,” adding in a blog post that it is “not building a central database on Americans — nor will we.” On Monday Palantir reiterated that it “does not build surveillance technology.” The Colorado-based firm, led by CEO Alex Karp, specializes in software that surfaces patterns across large data sets and supplies systems to agencies ranging from the Defense Department to the CDC.
The lawmakers’ letter asks Palantir whether it has sought assurances that its executives or board members will be shielded from legal liability related to government data projects. They also instruct the company to retain e-mails and documents in anticipation of potential litigation and congressional oversight.
A White House spokeswoman pointed to President Trump’s March executive order directing agencies to share data as a way to “streamline government operations and save taxpayer dollars.”
While the administration and Palantir insist no nationwide dossier is in the works, critics call the prospect a “surveillance nightmare” that would make it far easier to spy on Americans. The clash sets up another high-stakes test of how far data analytics firms — and the federal government — can go in aggregating personal information before Congress steps in.
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