WASHINGTON — Palantir has hired former Sen. Jon Tester, the Montana Democrat and organic farmer, as tech companies brace for scrutiny when Democrats take control of Congress in January, NPR reports.
“My agreement with Palantir is advisory in nature, it is not lobbying,” Tester, who lost reelection in 2024, told NPR.
Many tech companies are hiring former Democratic lawmakers and aides to make their case to the incoming House and Senate majorities, according to NPR, which said Democrats are expected to examine the industry’s ties to the Trump administration.
Palantir, the software and artificial intelligence company founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, has been accused by critics of abetting mass surveillance of Americans and immigrants. The company has denied it, saying it does not gather data but builds tools for agencies and companies to organize their own information.
“Perception is reality in Washington, D.C. and in politics in general,” Tester said. “But the fact is, I think Palantir has got a good story to tell, and they need to tell it.”
Earlier this year, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 30 other Democrats demanded answers about Palantir’s contracts with the Department of Homeland Security. Palantir said it is “neither conducting nor enabling mass surveillance of American citizens.”
Wyden’s staff told NPR he intends to press the company again as chairman of the Finance Committee. “If Palantir is not responsive next year, compulsory processes will be on the table,” the statement said.
Sources: NPR. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Jomar Thomas jmrthms / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
