Peter Thiel, the tech mogul and an outspoken Trump supporter, landed in Rome on Sunday for a closed-door seminar, drawing attention to possible meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government.
The attention comes as Thiel is in the Italian capital to host a lecture series on the Antichrist, a figure in Christian theology who is believed to oppose Jesus Christ while posing as the Messiah, according to an event announcement first by AP.
Some lawmakers have asked whether the CEO was planning to meet with the Italian government and whether the Italian public administration already had a contractual relationship with Palantir.
Their concern stems from Thiel’s ties to the US government, as his company, Palantir, has become a major player in data analysis tools for governments and defense forces., expanding its presence throughout Europe.
Palantir recently developed software for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to streamline the process of identifying migrants the agency is targeting.
The private seminar runs until Wednesday at an undisclosed location and is co-organized by the Gioberti Association, which attorneys the restoration of Catholicism as the cornerstone of Italian identity.
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The American company has a long relationship with the EU authorities and already is established in Italy.
Italian outlet Tomorrow reported that in 2024, the defense ministry launched a procurement process for one of the company’s flagship products, the Gotham license, an AI-driven investigative platform that connects disparate data sources to make them more useful to customers.
Thiel’s background
Thiel’s religious beliefs are deeply rooted in his upbringing. Raised in an evangelical Christian family, the German-born investor developed a strong interest in the Antichrist.
He repeatedly used the biblical figure for it Scorn public figures and institutions he believes present as forces for peace and stability while arguing “for the world government to stop science,” including environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
Thiel previously gave a similar series of talks in San Francisco exploring how the Antichrist could emerge on the global stage.
His appearance in Rome follows several visits to Italy by high-profile figures linked to US conservative circles, from Steve Bannon and Elon Musk to Vice President JD Vance.
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