Bottom Line: Palantir taps Trump-tied firm as it chases government contracts

Defense

Palantir Technologies has hired Miller Strategies to lobby on issues related to defense policy and appropriations. The U.S. government has awarded Palantir nearly $2.5 billion in contracts since 2009, according to federal contracting data, and with more than $1.3 billion of that coming from the Department of Defense. Palantir has steadily been bringing in more federal contracts each year, with a record $531 million in fiscal year 2024, according to the data.

Miller Strategies is close to Trump World, and the firm’s founder Jeff Miller was one of Trump’s biggest lobbyist bundlers during the 2024 election cycle. One of the lobbyists on the account is George Caram, a Trump White House National Security Council alum and former senior legislative assistant for science, space and technology to then-House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Antisemitism

The Anti-Defamation League hired Ballard Partners to lobby on policies and practices “to counter the rise of antisemitism in the U.S.” Republicans have homed in on rising anti-semitism as an issue amid pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since Hamas killed more than 1,000 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.

Ballard Partners and its founder Brian Ballard, another Trump campaign bundler and one of the lobbyists on the account, are also close to Trump World, with Ballard Partner alums Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi poised to join the incoming administration.

World Cup

FWC2026 US Inc., the FIFA subsidiary planning tasked with operating the 2026 World Cup, registered to lobby on issues related to tournament host preparation. Several 2026 FIFA World Cup committees for the various host cities have hired federal lobbyists to help score federal funding ahead of the global tournament, which is expected to attract around 5 million fans from around the world to the various sites in North America, including Mexico and Canada.

The lobbyist is John Rauber, who was most recently deputy chief of staff to Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.).

Communications

T-Mobile USA has hired the recently-launched Intersect Public Affairs to lobby on issues related to wireless infrastructure, spectrum and taxes. Estuardo Rodriguez, the firm’s founder and a former co-founder and principal at The Raben Group, will work on the account.

Warner Bros. Discovery also hired Intersect Public Affairs and Rodriguez to lobby on issues related to the news and entertainment media.

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