Inside the Tech Company Powering Trump’s Most Controversial Policies
The Daily
12/16/25
•39m
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Warning: This episode contains strong language.
Palantir, a data analysis and technology company, has secured federal contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars during President Trump’s second presidency, including to develop software to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement deport people.
Michael Steinberger, who spent six years interviewing Palantir’s chief executive, Alex Karp, for the book “The Philosopher in the Valley,” explains how Mr. Karp went from a self-described lifelong Democrat to a champion of Mr. Trump, and the impact this transformation could have on American democracy.
Guest: Michael Steinberger, a contributing writer to The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Listen to an interview with Mr. Karp from the DealBook Summit this month.
- In May, the Trump administration tapped Palantir to compile data on Americans.
- Here is Mr. Steinberger’s book, which this episode is based on.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Previous Episode
How Biden Lost Americans’ Faith in Immigration
December 15, 2025
•29m
A New York Times review of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s actions on immigration showed that decisions he and his closest advisers made created an opening for a more aggressive Trump administration agenda.
Christopher Flavelle, who interviewed more than 30 former Biden administration officials who worked on immigration and border policy, explains how Mr. Biden fumbled the immigration issue, and what the Democratic Party can learn from his missteps.
Guest: Christopher Flavelle, a reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- How Mr. Biden ignored warnings and lost Americans’ faith in immigration.
- Read four takeaways from The Times’s reporting on Mr. Biden’s immigration record.
Photo: Paul Ratje for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Next Episode
The Tragic Death and Enduring Legacy of Rob Reiner
December 17, 2025
•43m
Rob Reiner, the classic film director, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed on Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the couple’s son, Nick, with first-degree murder.
Julia Jacobs, an arts and culture reporter for The New York Times, explains what we have learned about the deaths, and Wesley Morris, a critic at The Times, discusses why many of Rob Reiner’s films are so beloved.
Guest:
- Julia Jacobs, who reports on culture and the arts for The New York Times.
- Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times who writes about art and popular culture.
Background reading:
- Rob Reiner, the actor who went on to direct classic films, died at 78.
- Nick Reiner was formally charged on Tuesday with murdering his parents.
Photo: Universal/Getty Images
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
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