--- title: "Tech CEOs Bow Down to Their Democratic Overlords" description: "Now that a different wind is blowing in Washington, DC, after the midterm elections, tech CEOS are singing an entirely different tune." date: "2026-11-11" modified: "2026-11-11" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/tech-ceos-bow-down-democratic-overlords" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" --- # Tech CEOs Bow Down to Their Democratic Overlords ![Co-Founder and CEO for Palantir Technologies Alex Karp speaks onstage.]() *Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Jacob Helberg* For years now, Palantir CEO Alex Karp has been cozying up to the Trump administration, from [aiding Immigration and Customs Enforcement]() through AI-powered surveillance tech and [musing about legalizing war crimes]() to making [unsavory comments about women]() and bragging that he frequently [chats with "real Nazis]()." Karp has been [accused of going "full MAGA]()," defending president Donald Trump by trying to argue that [he isn't a fascist](). His company [helped the so-called Department of Government Efficiency]() as it ripped apart federal government agencies. He has taken plenty of swipes at the Democratic party itself, accusing it of being "totally irresponsible," while gloating about carrying out a "[completely anti-woke]()" agenda. But now that a different wind is blowing in Washington after Democrats crushed Republicans in last week's midterm elections, Karp is singing an entirely different tune. As [*Politico* reports](), Karp has seemingly realized that he will have to dramatically change the rhetoric to ward off increased scrutiny by lawmakers, who have made broad gestures toward holding Silicon Valley accountable once they take over control of Congress. During his interview with the publication, strikingly, he used the word "progressive" a whopping eight times. "I’ve been a Democrat my whole life," Karp told *Politico* after spending years criticizing the left. "I grew up in a far left environment. I know more about being a progressive than almost anybody on the planet, and I absolutely believe Palantir — all of our products are essentially progressive." Karp's desperate attempts to cozy up to the left are symptomatic of a much greater shift following the midterms. The tech oligarchy is now faced with a strikingly political landscape. As the [*Washington Post* reports](), a growing group of tech leaders are plotting a major shift in their strategy. But that may be easier said than done, given how deeply entrenched Silicon Valley has become with the far right, from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk [personally overseeing]() a [catastrophic gutting]() of federal agencies as a "special government employee" to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman [meeting with Trump both publicly behind the scenes]() to further the company's interests. Many of these voices have been unusually quiet following last week's elections, unlike Karp. But given how tech giants, including Google and Microsoft, are [already making concessions]() to win over an American public that overwhelmingly opposes data centers, they'll likely have to choose their words carefully. Major policy shifts are very much on the table after Congress changes hands, from a slowdown in AI development to more data center moratoriums and holding tech companies accountable for the environmental impact of their work. Trump may maintain the power to veto these measures — but who knows how long those remaining bastions of an administration that fell out of favor with the American people will last. **More on tech CEOs:** [*Trump Says It’s Fine for a CEO to Cheat on His Wife With an Alleged Spy*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [CEO of Palantir Says AI Will Seize Power Away From College-Educated Women]() - [CEO of Palantir Says He Spends a Large Amount of Time Talking to Nazis]() - [Wait, Did Palantir Just Make a Joke About Its CEO Doing Cocaine?]() - [Palantir CEO Says Legalizing War Crimes Would Be Good for Business]() - [“Televised Nervous Breakdown”: CEO of Palantir Suffers a Bit of a Meltdown During Live Interview]() - [Hakeem Jeffries Is Bankrolled by the Most Controversial Tech Companies in Existence]() - [Palantir, World’s Weepiest Eye of Sauron, Sues Mayor of London After Losing a Contract]() - [CEO of Palantir Says AI Means You’ll Have to Work With Your Hands Like a Peasant]()