Warning: This episode contains strong language.Palantir, a data analysis and technology company, has secured federal contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars during President Trump’s second presidency, including to develop software to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement deport people.Michael Steinberger, who spent six years interviewing Palantir’s chief executive, Alex Karp, for the book “The Philosopher in the Valley,” explains how Mr. Karp went from a self-described lifelong Democrat to a champion of Mr. Trump, and the impact this transformation could have on American democracy.Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-steinberger" target="_blank">Michael Steinberger,</a> a contributing writer to The New York Times.Background reading: <ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/podcasts/alex-karp-defends-palantirs-work-with-ice.html" target="_blank">Listen to an interview with Mr. Karp</a> from the DealBook Summit this month.</li><li>In May, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html" target="_blank">the Trump administration tapped Palantir to compile data</a> on Americans.</li><li>Here is <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Philosopher-in-the-Valley/Michael-Steinberger/9781668012956" target="_blank">Mr. Steinberger’s book</a>, which this episode is based on.</li></ul>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 
Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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