Palantir Hires Former Montana Senator Jon Tester

Palantir has hired former U.S. Senator Jon Tester to serve in an advisory role, a move aimed at addressing growing scrutiny from the incoming Democratic majority in Congress. Tester, a Democrat from Montana who lost his re-election bid in 2024, told NPR that his agreement with the company is advisory and does not involve lobbying.

The hiring comes as technology companies prepare for increased oversight from Democrats who will take control of the House and Senate in January. Many firms are recruiting former lawmakers and aides to help communicate their positions to the new leadership. Tester stated that he believes Palantir has a positive narrative to share and hopes members of Congress will be receptive to it.

During President Trump's second term, Palantir faced criticism from Democrats who accused the company of aiding mass surveillance of Americans and immigrants. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, along with 30 other Democratic lawmakers, requested answers regarding the firm's contracts with the Department of Homeland Security. Wyden's office stated that they intend to raise these questions again in the new Congress and noted that compulsory processes could be used if the company is not responsive.

Palantir has consistently denied that it conducts mass surveillance. The company maintains that it creates tools for government agencies and private companies to organize their own data rather than gathering or manipulating data itself. Tester, who served in the Senate for 18 years and was a critic of the PATRIOT Act, said he believes Palantir shares his commitment to privacy because it does not build large databases or trade in private data.

The company, which is valued at over $350 billion, holds $2 billion in federal contracts. These agreements primarily involve the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and State, but also include the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services. Last year, more than a dozen former employees criticized a $30 million contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing the work violated the company's code of conduct.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp, a self-described liberal, has been vocal in his criticism of Democrats on immigration and artificial intelligence issues. In a 2025 interview, Karp urged his Democratic friends to support more restrictive immigration policies, suggesting that many agree with his position in private despite public differences.

Tester said he will focus on the government services aspect of Palantir's work. He described the recent midterm election results as a blue tidal wave and expressed the view that the new Congress will differ from the previous two years in its policy advocacy.