Let’s break down the presence of Pegasus and Palantir in America:
Pegasus (NSO Group):
NSO Group, the Israeli company that developed Pegasus spyware, has been blacklisted by the U.S. government.1 This means it’s illegal for U.S. firms to sell technology to NSO Group without special government approval.2
The U.S. government has expressed significant concerns about Pegasus being used to maliciously target government officials, journalists, human rights activists, and others.3
While NSO Group claims Pegasus cannot target U.S. phone numbers by design, there have been reports of Pegasus infections on devices of U.S. government employees, including some overseas.4
Lawsuits have been filed against NSO Group in the U.S., including by WhatsApp (Meta Platforms) and Apple, over its activities.5 NSO Group has attempted to argue against U.S. jurisdiction, but records have shown that some of its operations, including accessing WhatsApp servers, have involved U.S.-based infrastructure.6
In March 2023, President Joe Biden issued an executive order prohibiting federal agencies from using commercial spyware that poses significant counterintelligence or security risks to the U.S. government.7
In summary, while NSO Group is an Israeli company and has faced severe restrictions from the U.S. government, its Pegasus spyware has been found to impact individuals and infrastructure within or connected to the U.S., and there have been legal efforts to hold them accountable in American courts.8
Palantir Technologies:
Palantir Technologies is an American publicly traded company.9 It is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.10
It was founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Stephen Cohen, Joe Lonsdale, and Alex Karp.
Palantir specializes in software platforms for big data analytics and is well-known for its work with government agencies, particularly in intelligence and defense.11 Its clients include the United States Intelligence Community (USIC) and the Department of Defense.
Palantir has extensive operations and partnerships within the U.S. government and commercial sectors.12 They are actively involved in projects related to national security, supply chain management, and AI capabilities for federal agencies.13
In summary, Palantir Technologies is a U.S.-based company with significant operations and a strong presence in America, particularly with its government contracts.14
Are they being used on us citizen in America actively as of any recent developments politically?
This is a complex area with ongoing developments and varying perspectives. Here’s a breakdown of the recent political and public discourse surrounding Pegasus and Palantir and their potential use on U.S. citizens:
Pegasus (NSO Group)
The U.S. government has taken a strong stance against NSO Group and its Pegasus spyware:
Blacklisting: NSO Group remains on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List, severely restricting its ability to do business with U.S. companies.1
Executive Order: In March 2023, President Biden issued an executive order prohibiting U.S. federal agencies from using commercial spyware that poses counterintelligence or security risks or has been used to enable human rights abuses.2 This is a direct response to concerns like those raised by Pegasus.
Lawsuits and Legal Precedent: NSO Group is facing multiple lawsuits in the U.S., including from WhatsApp (Meta Platforms) and Apple.3 Recent legal developments, such as a U.S. court ruling in December 2024 that NSO Group was liable for hacking WhatsApp users’ devices, are establishing legal precedent and challenging NSO’s attempts to avoid U.S. jurisdiction.4 These lawsuits have revealed that NSO Group has used U.S.-based infrastructure (like WhatsApp servers) to deploy Pegasus.5
Targeting of U.S. Officials: There have been reports of Pegasus infections on the devices of U.S. government employees, including those working overseas.6 This has heightened U.S. concerns about the spyware.
Public Warnings: The U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) and the Department of State have issued joint alerts warning citizens about “zero-click” malware with capabilities similar to Pegasus, advising on how to protect devices.7
Regarding active use on U.S. citizens in America:
No direct evidence of U.S. federal agencies actively using Pegasus on U.S. citizens within America has been publicly confirmed. The executive order and blacklisting aim to prevent this.
However, the fact that Pegasus has impacted devices of U.S. government employees (even if overseas) and utilized U.S. infrastructure for its operations indicates a potential indirect impact or vulnerability. The ongoing lawsuits continue to reveal more about NSO Group’s operational methods.
The broader concern remains about foreign governments misusing Pegasus to target individuals who are U.S. citizens or located in the U.S., regardless of whether the U.S. government is itself a direct customer of NSO Group.8
Palantir Technologies
Palantir is an American company with extensive contracts with the U.S. government, and its use of data, particularly concerning U.S. citizens, is a consistent political and privacy concern.9
Recent political developments and ongoing debates:
IRS “Mega-Database” Allegations: A significant recent development (June-July 2025) involves reports that Palantir is helping the IRS build a “single, searchable database” of taxpayer records and other sensitive information that could potentially be shared across federal agencies.10
Concerns: Democratic lawmakers, led by Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have vehemently questioned Palantir and the IRS, arguing that such a database likely violates federal laws like the Privacy Act and tax privacy laws by enabling broad data sharing without proper oversight or public notice.11 They’ve expressed concerns about a “surveillance nightmare” and the potential for misuse under different administrations.
Palantir’s Response: Palantir has pushed back against the “mega-database” narrative, stating that they are not building a whole-of-government master database for surveillance and that their contracts with the IRS are for specific criminal investigative workflows that have been ongoing for years.12 They emphasize their commitment to upholding privacy laws.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Palantir has long-standing and significant contracts with ICE.13 Reports continue to surface about Palantir’s role in tracking undocumented individuals and assisting in deportations through data integration.14 This remains a highly contentious issue among privacy advocates and civil liberties groups.
Department of Defense (DoD) Contracts: Palantir continues to secure large contracts with the DoD, including for AI tools like Project Maven.15 While these are often framed in terms of national security, the sheer volume and scope of data involved raise questions about the potential for mission creep and the aggregation of data that could indirectly impact U.S. citizens.
General Concerns about Data Aggregation: Critics of Palantir often highlight the company’s core business model of integrating vast, disparate datasets. The concern is that even if individual contracts are for specific purposes, the cumulative effect of Palantir’s work could lead to a highly detailed and interconnected web of information on U.S. citizens, accessible by various government agencies, potentially with insufficient oversight or transparency.
In summary:
Pegasus: While the U.S. government actively works to prevent its own use of Pegasus and combat its misuse by foreign actors, there’s evidence it has been used in ways that involve U.S. individuals and infrastructure, leading to ongoing legal and political pushback.
Palantir: As a U.S. company with deep ties to federal agencies, Palantir is actively involved in data analysis for various government functions.16 The current political debate centers on the scope and implications of these contracts, particularly regarding the potential for aggregating sensitive data on U.S. citizens and the privacy protections in place. The “IRS mega-database” controversy is a very recent example of these ongoing concerns.
