Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) shares are trading slightly lower Monday morning. The move comes as the company navigates a complex backdrop of geopolitical volatility and sharp ethical critiques regarding its defense sector involvement.

The Nasdaq is down 0.33% while the S&P 500 has shed 0.14%.

Geopolitical Tensions Fuel Defense Focus

Markets opened under pressure Monday as U.S.-Iran tensions flared over the weekend. President Donald Trump warned he would “knock out every single Power Plant and every single Bridge, in Iran” if terms were not met.

As oil prices surged over 6%, defense-linked tech names like Palantir remained in the spotlight. The company continues to position itself as essential military infrastructure.

Varoufakis Issues AI Warning

Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis issued a commentry of the company’s defense push on Monday. Reacting to Palantir’s Technological Republic post, Varoufakis wrote on X, “AI-powered killer robots are coming.” He argued that the tech sector's goal is “to profit magnificently by building killer robots first and ask questions later.”

The ‘Affirmative Obligation’ Debate

Palantir has consistently argued that Silicon Valley has an “affirmative obligation to participate in the defense of the nation.” While supporters say these platforms enhance national security, Varoufakis warned that companies may seek to “avoid at all cost any international treaties that limit AI-driven killer robots.”

PLTR Stock Price Activity: Palantir Technologies shares were down 0.68% at $145.38 at the time of publication on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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