Peter Thiel has criticised the US war against Iran, saying Washington should not have launched it and warning that the conflict could weaken American influence abroad.
“I’m skeptical of [the war], I think we should not have done it. There were a lot of mistakes that were made,” Thiel said during a private lecture in Nashville on October 12, according to audio obtained by Politico. He also questioned whether the United States had the military strength to achieve its aims, adding: “Maybe we don’t have the hard power. Maybe we’re going to lose the soft power war.”
Thiel, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, reportedly reiterated his backing for the president while warning that the war could create legal risks for his administration. He described the possibility of International Criminal Court arrest warrants as a potential threat hanging over the White House. His remarks reflect his own assessment; they do not establish that the ICC is preparing warrants against US officials.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and has rejected the court’s jurisdiction over US personnel. The Trump administration has also imposed sanctions on ICC officials over the court’s actions concerning Israel. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged crimes in Gaza.
I think we should not have done itPeter Thiel
Thiel’s comments carry particular weight because Palantir, the data analytics company he co-founded, has supplied technology used by the US military. The company’s software has drawn scrutiny following the February strike on a school in Minab, Iran, which killed scores of civilians, including children.
Reporting has linked outdated targeting information and AI-assisted military systems to the strike. Palantir has disputed claims that its software was responsible, and available reporting does not establish that its products caused the attack. The US military investigation has not been publicly released.