New Pentagon data chief faces criticism over social media posts

On Friday the Pentagon appointed computer scientist Gavin Kliger as chief data officer at the US Department of War. Kliger has previously collaborated with billionaire Elon Musk on an initiative to reorganise the federal government known as DOGE.

The department said Kliger will play a key role in developing artificial intelligence within the organisation. In his new position he will coordinate AI projects and work with leading US research laboratories to support military operations with new technologies.

However, the appointment has also drawn attention because of Kliger’s activity on social media. According to published information, between October 2024 and January 2025 he shared posts related to controversial figures, including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and influencer Andrew Tate, who describes himself as a misogynist.

The use of artificial intelligence in the US military has also come under renewed scrutiny following a recent dispute between the government and the technology company Anthropic over rules governing the use of its AI tools. President Donald Trump’s administration subsequently decided to end cooperation with the company and replace it with OpenAI.

(reuters, max)