Anonymous wrote:I thought that was illegal?
I'm not a lawyer so I asked Grok:
This situation raises serious conflict of interest concerns under 18 U.S.C. § 208, which prohibits federal officials from participating in decisions affecting their financial interests. Ethics experts, including Don Fox, former acting head of the Office of Government Ethics, note that Miller’s role in shaping immigration policy, combined with his stock ownership, could violate federal ethics rules if he influences decisions benefiting Palantir. The stock is held in a brokerage account for one of Miller’s children, but under OGE rules, this is treated as if Miller owns it himself.
While not necessarily illegal if Miller recuses himself from ICE-related decisions impacting Palantir, his failure to do so could lead to civil or criminal penalties, including fines or up to one year in prison (or seven years if willful). The White House has stated Miller would recuse himself if a conflict arises, but ethics watchdogs argue his deep involvement in immigration policy makes this difficult, given Palantir’s role in ICE operations. Public sentiment on X reflects outrage, with users calling it a “massive conflict of interest.”
No direct evidence confirms Miller has violated laws, but the appearance of impropriety is significant, especially as Palantir’s stock has surged 80% in 2025, partly due to government contracts. Miller could mitigate this by divesting the stock or using a blind trust, as suggested by ethics experts.