Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans - The New York Times


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Key Concerns

The article highlights the Trump administration's increased reliance on Palantir, a data analysis firm, raising significant concerns about potential mass surveillance of US citizens. The administration's expansion of Palantir's role across multiple federal agencies, coupled with the executive order mandating data sharing, suggests the creation of a centralized database of personal information.

Palantir's Expanding Role

Palantir has received over $113 million in federal funding since Trump's presidency, with additional contracts from agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon. Discussions are also underway with the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service regarding the purchase of Palantir's technology. The key product, Foundry, which enables data organization and analysis, is already deployed in at least four federal agencies.

Data Access and Surveillance

The Trump administration has shown a willingness to access extensive personal data points on citizens through government databases. This includes sensitive information like bank account details, student loan amounts, medical records, and disability status. The combination of this data access with Palantir's technology creates a significant risk of widespread surveillance.

Financial Implications

The article mentions a $795 million contract awarded to Palantir by the Department of Defense, though it has not yet been spent. This demonstrates the substantial financial investment made by the government in Palantir's services.

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In March, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the federal government to share data across agencies, raising questions over whether he might compile a master list of personal information on Americans that could give him untold surveillance power.

Mr. Trump has not publicly talked about the effort since. But behind the scenes, officials have quietly put technological building blocks into place to enable his plan. In particular, they have turned to one company: Palantir, the data analysis and technology firm.

The Trump administration has expanded Palantir’s work across the federal government in recent months. The company has received more than $113 million in federal government spending since Mr. Trump took office, according to public records, including additional funds from existing contracts as well as new contracts with the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon. (This does not include a $795 million contract that the Department of Defense awarded the company last week, which has not been spent.)

Representatives of Palantir are also speaking to at least two other agencies — the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service — about buying its technology, according to six government officials and Palantir employees with knowledge of the discussions.

The push has put a key Palantir product called Foundry into at least four federal agencies, including D.H.S. and the Health and Human Services Department. Widely adopting Foundry, which organizes and analyzes data, paves the way for Mr. Trump to easily merge information from different agencies, the government officials said.

Creating detailed portraits of Americans based on government data is not just a pipe dream. The Trump administration has already sought access to hundreds of data points on citizens and others through government databases, including their bank account numbers, the amount of their student debt, their medical claims and any disability status.

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