A CNBC anchor told a Republican megadonor that he sounded "pretty angry" Wednesday after he spiraled on live TV over government AI contracts.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp, whose company pulls more than half its revenue from government contracts, launched into an extended on-air tirade defending Palantir's grip on federal AI work — at one point using President Donald Trump's "Department of War" rebrand for the Pentagon without missing a beat.
Karp has donated millions to Republican causes, including $1 million to MAGA Inc. and another $1 million to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. He has most recently donated hundreds or thousands of dollars to support the re-election of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
"Are we really gonna outsource the battlefield of this country to the consensus view in Silicon Valley?" Karp asked, alluding to his company's Pentagon contracts. "These people are stealing the weights and alpha of my business. No! This is the voice of American business that is being channeled through me!"
"You sound pretty angry," a shocked anchor reacted.
Karp pushed back — then urged the CNBC anchors to privately call corporate executives.
"Pick up the phone and call a CEO in private. Not in public.... And see — they're twice as livid as me!" he said.
When asked directly whether the government was already canceling contracts with Anthropic and OpenAI in favor of Palantir, Karp deflected — then landed on the same grievance.
"The one thing I am slightly frustrated about — when OpenAI or Anthropic, especially, are talking about critical infrastructure, it is only being used in our product. They're buying it because these things have to be made safe!"
