TL;DR
Joe Lonsdale, identified in the source as a Palantir co-founder, replied to a user who called for violence against 'commies' with the word "Exactly" and the question, "What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about?" The exchange, posted on X, attracted significant engagement.
What happened
A post on X that called for violence against "commies" — including language about blowing up people and their gravesites — received an affirmative reply from Joe Lonsdale, a Palantir co-founder. In response to the original tweet, Lonsdale wrote, "Exactly. What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about?" The thread shows substantial visibility: the quoted tweet registered 226.6K views and thousands of interactions, including more than 2,900 likes and triple-digit counts of replies, retweets and quote tweets, according to the X display captured in the source. The original violent message and Lonsdale's brief reply are presented in the captured X conversation and were available via the linked tweet. Beyond the exchange itself and the engagement figures shown on the X page, the source does not provide additional comment from Lonsdale, Palantir, the original poster, or third parties.
Why it matters
- Public statements by prominent tech executives can affect corporate reputation and public trust.
- Endorsement of violent rhetoric by a company co-founder raises ethical and governance questions for stakeholders.
- High visibility of the exchange increases the likelihood of public and media scrutiny.
- Such posts can prompt inquiries from clients, investors, or regulators even if no formal response is yet recorded.
Key facts
- The exchange took place on X (formerly Twitter) and involves user @JTLonsdale, identified as Joe Lonsdale.
- Lonsdale replied "Exactly. What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about?" to an earlier tweet advocating violence against "commies."
- The original tweet containing violent language displayed a timestamp of Jan 4, 2026, 4:18 PM in the captured view.
- The captured X conversation shows 226.6K views and over 2,900 likes for the quoted message, along with triple-digit reply, retweet and quote-tweet counts.
- The source provides the direct URL to Lonsdale's X post: https://twitter.com/JTLonsdale/status/2007849014407086427.
- The source does not include any statement from Palantir or from Lonsdale beyond the quoted reply.
- No information in the source indicates any official response, disciplinary action, or context beyond the single exchange.
What to watch next
- not confirmed in the source: whether Joe Lonsdale or Palantir will issue a public statement or clarification.
- not confirmed in the source: whether Palantir's customers, partners or investors will respond or seek comment.
- not confirmed in the source: whether X will take any moderation action on the posts in the thread.
Quick glossary
- Co-founder: One of the original creators or originators of a company or organization.
- Palantir: A software and analytics company; the source identifies Joe Lonsdale as a co-founder but provides no operational details.
- X (formerly Twitter): A social media platform where users post short messages, replies and share content; public engagement metrics are often displayed on posts.
- Engagement metrics: Counts shown on social posts that indicate views, likes, replies, retweets or shares, used as measures of visibility and interaction.
Reader FAQ
Did Joe Lonsdale call for killing communists?
The source shows Lonsdale replying "Exactly" and asking, "What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about?" in response to a tweet that advocated violence; the source does not include additional statements clarifying intent.
Has Palantir issued a response?
not confirmed in the source
When was the post visible on X?
The captured thread shows a timestamp of Jan 4, 2026, 4:18 PM for the original tweet; the source page was published Jan 6, 2026.
How much engagement did the post get?
The captured view shows 226.6K views, more than 2,900 likes, and triple-digit counts for replies, retweets and quote tweets as displayed on X.
Joe Lonsdale @JTLonsdale Exactly. What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about? Quote Latinx Adjacent Doctor PhD @TonerousHyus · Jan 3 Commies aren’t allowed in this hemisphere…
Sources
- Co-founder Joe Lonsdale: Palantir was founded to kill communists
- Vanguard – Communist Party of Australia Marxist Leninist
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