Trumpy Billionaire Holds Antichrist Lectures Near Vatican

Peter Thiel, a Palantir co-founder and Trump ally, has brought his controversial talks on the Antichrist to Rome, angering some Catholics.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 6:33pm by Ben Kaplan

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Peter Thiel, the tech billionaire and devout Christian, has begun a series of lectures on the Antichrist near the Vatican in Rome, raising concerns among Catholics. Thiel, a Palantir co-founder and ally of former President Donald Trump, has previously held these talks in San Francisco, where he criticized Pope Leo XIV as a 'woke American pope' and called environmental activist Greta Thunberg a 'legionnaire of the Antichrist.' While some Catholic institutions in Rome have denied involvement, Thiel's event is reportedly being jointly organized by an Italian Christian political organization and the Cluny Institute at the Catholic University of America.

Why it matters

Thiel's Antichrist talks have rankled Catholics who view him and his ally Donald Trump as divisive figures in global politics. The Catholic Church has been critical of Trump's aggressive policies, and Pope Leo XIV has condemned the administration's attacks on Venezuela and Iran, as well as its treatment of immigrants in the United States.

The details

Peter Thiel, the 58-year-old tech billionaire and devout Christian, has brought his series of lectures on the Antichrist to Rome, where he is pushing the idea that a figure opposing Christ will soon emerge to create a 'totalitarian one-world government.' Thiel has harped against the dangers of 'woke' policies such as environmental protections and tech industry regulations, and has called Pope Leo XIV a 'woke American pope' and Greta Thunberg a 'legionnaire of the Antichrist.'

  • Thiel's lectures in Rome are scheduled to take place between March 15 and 18, 2026.

The players

Peter Thiel

A tech billionaire, co-founder of Palantir, and ally of former President Donald Trump, who has been giving lectures on the Antichrist.

Pope Leo XIV

The current Pope, who has been critical of Trump and his administration's policies, and has condemned the administration's attacks on Venezuela and Iran, as well as its treatment of immigrants in the United States.

Greta Thunberg

A young environmental activist whom Thiel has called a 'legionnaire of the Antichrist.'

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What they’re saying

“Humanitarian policies, rules imposed on technology, underestimation of the 'natural' violence of men and defense of the rights of the weak (criticized as 'woke') according to Thiel have in fact produced Western decadence.”

— Milena Santerini, Writer, L'Avvenire (L'Avvenire)

The takeaway

Thiel's Antichrist lectures near the Vatican have sparked controversy and concern among Catholics, who view him and his ally Donald Trump as divisive figures in global politics. The Catholic Church has been critical of Trump's policies, and the Pope has condemned the administration's actions, raising questions about the relationship between religion, politics, and technology in the modern era.