The Antichrist lectures

The Guardian reported four lectures on the San Francisco waterfront. Thiel defined his focus as “an evil king or tyrant or anti-messiah who appears in the end times.” [1]

Reason, a libertarian magazine whose reporter listened to more than seven hours of audio, said the lectures were hosted by the ACTS 17 Collective and quoted Thiel naming “the legionnaires of the Antichrist [as people] like Eliezer Yudkowsky, Nick Bostrom, and Greta Thunberg [who] argue for world government to stop science.” Reason called his warning against one-worldism “unmistakably libertarian.” [2]

Critics, including The Verge, read the same lectures as a billionaire casting regulation of his industries as satanic. [3][4]

In March 2026, AP reported via PBS, the Angelicum said a Rome event was “not organized by the University,” and the Catholic University of America said it was “not sponsoring or hosting.” The organizers were the Vincenzo Gioberti Cultural Association and the Cluny Institute, an initiative incubated at CUA. [1]

In Nashville he singled out Barack Obama and Pope Leo XIV for, in Fortune’s summary of Politico’s audio, exploiting fears about AI: “Obama knows the Democrats have no ideas, but they can at least oppose AI.” [2]

The Nashville Scene, from a recording of the final lecture, quoted: “The Antichrist will be a politician … If you want to look for a person to be the Antichrist, I think the place to look is a very bad president of the United States,” and “America is the last and final form of the Roman Empire.” [3][4]

On the New York Times podcast “Interesting Times” in June 2025, Ross Douthat asked whether he would prefer the human race to endure. Thiel hesitated at length before answering yes. The clip spread widely. [1]