Explore the Followers of Peter Thiel in Donald Trump's Second Term Government
In the second term of Donald Trump's presidency, Peter Thiel's impact is undeniable.
Known as the co-founder of Palantir, the private surveillance giant with a long-standing relationship with the CIA, and a member of the Bilderberg Group, the exclusive organization representing the interests of the ruling class, Thiel's reach in the administration is more prominent than ever.
With numerous associates and followers playing significant roles in the administration, Thiel's influence is only growing stronger.
Thiel's backing of Trump 2024 extends back to 2016. Despite his apparent disinterest in politics, Thiel donated a hefty $1.25 million to Trump's inaugural campaign. behind the scenes, Thiel strongly supported a second Trump term.
During the All In Summit in October 2024, Thiel claimed that although he wasn't donating money to any political candidate, he remained "very strongly pro-Trump and pro-Vance in every other way possible".
Thiel's long-standing support of Trump is worth noting. However, it's essential to acknowledge that Thiel also collaborated with the Biden administration. In 2021, the Biden administration received criticism for continuing Trump's plans for a border wall in the form of a "virtual" or biometric wall.
One of the contractors for this virtual wall was Anduril Industries, founded by Trump donor Palmer Luckey with Thiel's funding. The message was clear - whether with Trump, Biden, or Harris, the U.S. is moving towards a biometric surveillance state with Digital IDs.
Fast forward to 2025, with Trump and Vance now in the White House, several Thiel-linked companies are poised to benefit financially. A recent partnership between Palantir, Anduril, SpaceX, and OpenAI on U.S. military contracts marks the latest attempt by the Technocrats to replace the traditional Military-Industrial Complex giants like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing.
Vice President J.D. Vance
Thiel's influence on Vance goes back to 2011 when Vance was inspired by Thiel's speech at Yale Law School. He started as a junior investor with Thiel-backed Mithril Capital and later moved to tech firm Circuit Therapeutics, a "favor" to Peter.
In 2019, Vance founded Narya Capital, with financial backing from Google's former CEO Eric Schmidt, billionaire investor Marc Andreessen, and, of course, Peter Thiel. When Vance announced his run for Ohio Senator, Thiel contributed $15 million to his campaign, enabling him to win and later secure a seat in the White House with the support of Thiel and other technocrats.
Elon Musk
Musk is a powerful Technocrat in his own right. Alongside Thiel, Musk co-founded America PAC, a political action committee designed to support Trump's return to the White House.
In July 2024, it was initially reported that Musk would invest $45 million per month into the Trump campaign, but in the end, he donated almost $75 million. Trump rewarded Musk's support by appointing him to lead the "Department of Government Efficiency", a position aimed at reducing waste and increasing efficiency in government operations.
David Sacks
Sacks is most known for his role in the early days of PayPal, where he served as COO under Thiel. In June 2024, Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya hosted a fundraiser for Trump at Sacks' home in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, netting the campaign $12 million. Trump's victory in the 2024 election led to Sacks' appointment as AI and Crypto Czar, a position that grants Sacks significant influence over the U.S. government's policies on cryptocurrency and AI.
Howard Lutnick
Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald investment firm, has become a prominent Bitcoin supporter in recent years, investing in Strive Asset Management, an anti-ESG firm co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, also backed by Thiel, Vance's Narya Capital, and Founders Fund.
Lutnick is also a Rumble partner, a video platform that grew significantly after becoming publicly traded. Top institutional shareholders in Rumble include Cantor Fitzgerald, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, State Street, and Rockefeller Capital Management.
Jim O'Neill
Donald Trump appointed Jim O'Neill as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). O'Neill has collaborated extensively with Peter Thiel, working at Clarium Capital and Mithril Capital Management from 2012 to 2019 and co-founding Thiel's Thiel Fellowship in 2010.
Ken Howery
Trump named Ken Howery, a co-founder of Palantir and Founders Fund, U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Despite Howery's past involvement in the World Economic Forum, Trump views these connections as a net positive. Howery's role might be instrumental in helping Trump fulfill his goal of annexing Greenland, as Denmark currently controls it as part of its kingdom.
Jacob Helberg
Jacob Helberg, a strong supporter of Israel, was appointed undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment. He also serves as a senior advisor to Palantir Technologies and Alex Karp, Thiel's co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies.
Michael Kratsios
Kratsios, who previously served as science adviser and director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy under Trump, has returned to these roles in the second Trump administration. Kratsios worked for two of Peter Thiel's funds, Thiel Capital and Clarium Capital.
In conclusion, numerous Thiel-linked figures occupy crucial positions in President Donald Trump's 2nd cabinet, signifying the broad Technocratic influence in the administration. It is essential to watch for more Thiel associates joining the administration as time goes on.
- Peter Thiel's backing of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential bid traces back to his $1.25 million donation in 2016, indicating his strong support for a second Trump term.
- Thiel's influence is apparent not only in the Trump administration but also in the Biden administration, with both administrations employing Thiel-linked companies in their policies, such as the virtual border wall project.
- In the Health sector, Jim O'Neill, a collaborator of Thiel, was appointed deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Technology and Finance industries are significantly impacted by the presence of figures like Michael Kratsios, who served in the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy under Trump and worked for two of Thiel's funds.
- The business sector also witnesses the influence of technocrats such as Jacob Helberg, a strong supporter of Israel, who occupies the undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment.
- In the realm of free speech and digital media, Rumble, a video platform, has grown significantly due to the backing of institutions connected to Howard Lutnick and Thiel-backed figures.
- Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency are under the scrutiny and control of figures like David Sacks, a former COO of PayPal under Thiel and co-founder of America PAC supporting Trump's return to the White House.
- Education and general-news dissemination can potentially be affected by Thiel-linked figures, as Vance, a Thiel-backed politician, is now Vice President, and figures like Kratsios have previously served in positions of science and technology advisor.