Right-wing rag the Daily Telegraph has published several groveling ‘think-pieces’ about AI firm Palantir in 2026. The Canary even analysed one of them here. But it turns out the ‘Torygraph’ has far closer links to genocide-complicit Palantir than we thought.
Middle East Eye (MEE) published a piece on 21 May further explaining the links between the paper and the firm:
Despite mounting scrutiny over Palantir’s alleged links to human rights abuses and Israeli war crimes, several major media organisations have still partnered with the company – including German publishing giant Axel Springer, the new owner of the British newspaper The Telegraph.
Axel Springer – which also owns Politico, Business Insider, Bild, and Welt – uses Palantir’s Foundry software across its media operations.
MEE reported that:
Palantir has said that Axel Springer used Foundry to integrate data from its various publications and revenue streams, helping to build what the company described as “a more agile, data-driven publishing organisation” capable of responding more effectively to shifts in consumer behaviour and audience interests.
According to Palantir, Foundry enables Axel Springer to gain “detailed insights into readership behaviour, advertising performance, and subscription models”.
Palantir and far-right Israel supporters
Springer‘s German CEO Mathias Dopfner is an Israel fanboy of the highest order, telling the World Jewish Conference in May 2026:
I’m a goy [non-Jew] and I’m a Zionist. With all my heart, out of conviction, and with passion.
We all shall be Zionists.
Dopfner is also is a close ally of far-right Palantir co-founder Alex Karp:
Between 2018 and 2019, Palantir chief executive Alexander Karp served on the publisher’s supervisory board.
Karp and Axel Springer’s CEO, Mathias Döpfner, first met years earlier “at a party during Döpfner’s university days”.
Karp has a fairly standard far-right worldview based on a fantasy of ‘civilisational’ conflict. He even published a tawdry-sounding book calling for:
the abandonment of ‘frivolous’ consumer products in the pursuit of ‘national projects’ that strengthen ‘Western civilization’ to the detriment of its perceived enemies.
Axel Springer‘s five-point corporate constitution tells a story. Point two reads:
We support the right of the State of Israel to exist and reject all forms of anti-Semitism.
Family friends in the business
And there is a family/business connection too – Dopfner’s son, Moritz:
reportedly worked as chief of staff at Thiel Capital, the investment firm founded by Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel.
German business outlet Manager Magazin has reported that Thiel later invested in a venture capital fund established by Moritz Döpfner, providing around $50m in seed funding.
MEE said:
Just a few months after Axel Springer acquired The Telegraph, the newspaper published an opinion piece titled “In defence of Palantir”, followed by another article headlined “How Palantir became the left’s favourite conspiracy target”.
It remains unclear whether these articles were connected to the broader relationship between Palantir and Axel Springer, or whether The Telegraph is using Palantir technology following the takeover.
Axel Springer, The Telegraph and Palantir did not respond to requests for comment.
You can read the MEE investigation here. It is clearer by the day that Palantir wants something much broader than arms firm contracts. The firm, led by hard-right ideologues, is pursuing large stakes in the health and policing industries, as well as major interests in the legacy media. Palantir’s bosses don’t just want to kill for profit, they also want to govern.
Featured image via Getty/Luke Sharrett
By Joe Glenton
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