Palantir CEO Alex Karp targeted the company’s critics during an earnings call on Monday, taunting those who have bet against the data analytics firm after it reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results.
“Please turn on the conventional television and see how unhappy those that didn’t invest in us are,” Karp said. “Enjoy, get some popcorn, they’re crying. We are every day making this company better and we’re doing it for this nation, for allied countries.”
The comments come as Palantir’s shares have surged 25-fold over the past three years, pushing its market capitalization above $490 billion with a forward price-to-earnings ratio near 280. However, despite the positive earnings report and upbeat guidance, the stock declined in after-hours trading.
Karp, who co-founded Palantir in 2003, is known for his colorful and often politically charged commentary. His quarterly shareholder letters frequently reference historical figures and philosophers. In his most recent letter, he quoted the Irish poet William Butler Yeats while arguing against a “vacant and neutered and hollow pluralism” in favor of a shared national culture.
During the call, Karp shifted from discussing AI adoption to the U.S. fentanyl crisis, a topic he acknowledged was “slightly political.” He controversially suggested a more aggressive government response would exist if the victims were from a different socioeconomic background. “If fentanyl was killing 60,000 Yale grads instead of 60,000 working class people, we would be dropping a nuclear bomb on whoever was sending it,” he stated.
The CEO also addressed the controversy surrounding Palantir’s government and military contracts. The company, which derives more than half of its U.S. revenue from government work, recently secured a $30 million contract to build an “ImmigrationOS” for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Palantir also provides technological support to the Israeli military, a partnership it expanded following the October 7th attack by Hamas.
Karp has remained defiant in the face of criticism over this work. The company has publicly affirmed its pro-Israel position with full-page newspaper ads and by holding a board meeting in Tel Aviv. Karp acknowledged that this stance has caused some employees to resign and that he expects more to follow.
“We’re on the front line of all adversaries, including vis-à-vis China, we’re on ICE and we’ve supported Israel,” Karp said on the call. “I don’t know why this is all controversial, but many people find that controversial.”
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