Peter Thiel’s Antichrist Lectures In Rome Spark Questions In Italian Parliament

By Charles Cohen

(EurActiv) -- Peter Thiel, tech mogul and an outspoken Trump supporter, landed in Rome on Sunday for a closed-door seminar, drawing scrutiny over potential meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government.

The attention comes as Thiel is in the Italian capital to host a series of lectures on the Antichrist, a figure in Christian theology believed to oppose Jesus Christ while posing as the Messiah, according to an event announcement seen by AP.

Several 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 defence forces, expanding its presence across 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-organised by Gioberti Association, which advocates restoring Catholicism as a cornerstone of Italian identity.

The US company has a longstanding relationship with EU authorities and is already established in Italy.

Italian outlet Domani reported that in 2024, the defence ministry launched a procurement process for one of the company’s flagship products, the Gotham licence, an AI-driven investigative platform connecting different data sources to make them more useful for 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 to criticise figures and public institutions he believes present themselves as forces for peace and stability, while arguing “for world government to stop science”, including environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

Thiel previously delivered a similar series of talks in San Francisco exploring how the Antichrist might emerge in the global stage.

His appearance in Rome comes after several visits to Italy by high-profile figures linked to U.S. conservative circles, from Steve Bannon and Elon Musk to Vice President JD Vance.