The Bilderberg Group – a secret organization of the global elite – is undergoing a leadership transformation as Donald Trump prepares to retake the White House.
The society, which consists of leaders in politics, industry, academia and the military, has selected former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to chair its ‘steering committee.’
Founded in 1954, the Bilderberg group has long drawn fascination for its clandestine meetings at exclusive hotels and alpine resorts where attendees hold discussions on international relations, economics and security.
Heads of the CIA and MI6 have been among its members, while Henry Kissinger was a regular alongside the likes of Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and then-Prince Charles.
Now a major power shift is afoot as Stoltenberg, who first attended the Bilderberg summit in 2002, has been tapped for his expertise in transatlantic strategy.
It comes as Trump, whose frequent attacks on NATO have sparked outrage in Europe, ascends once more to the Oval Office. The president-elect has been adamant that he will no longer spend billions in US taxpayer money to fund other countries’ wars.
Stoltenberg’s tenure at NATO was dominated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and he proudly claimed to have overseen ‘the largest reinforcement of our collective defense in a generation.’
Many of his Bilderberg colleagues have benefited from this increased defense spending. Among them is Trump insider Peter Thiel, boss of AI giant Palantir, whose technology has been used by Ukraine in the fight against Putin.
Donald Trump joins former First Lady Melania Trump on stage during a campaign at Madison Square Garden in New York, October 27
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is taking over as co-chair of The Bilderberg Group
Silicon Valley billionaire and tech mogul Peter Thiel appears to be emerging as a key player shaping Bilderberg’s trajectory in the coming era of Trump 2.0
Stoltenberg last month warned that Trump’s ‘campaign rhetoric had raised legitimate concerns about his commitment to European security.’
But the new Bilderberg boss can rest assured that if things get sticky, he now has a direct line to Trump in the form of Thiel, who has been one of the president-elect’s biggest backers.
Another notable member of the Bilderberg steering committee is Nadia Schadlow, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a DC think-tank.
In October, Schadlow wrote a piece titled ‘Europe Should Not See a Potential Trump Return as a Threat.’
In the piece, she addressed how Trump often attacks European NATO member countries for not appropriating enough of their money to national defense but said that Europe should try to work with him.
‘Instead of framing him as destroyer of an old order, Europe should consider how Mr Trump’s disruptive nature might help to position Europe for a better future,’ she wrote.
Stoltenberg may seek to harness the media to help shift the Bilderberg Group’s strategy. The secretive society tends to avoid any interaction with the press and keeps the details of its meetings secret.
But Stoltenberg is no stranger to dealing with the media and among the new members are Silicon Valley billionaires like Thiel who are more at ease with public speaking.
Stoltenberg will co-chair the steering committee alongside Canadian-American economist, philanthropist, Marie-Josée Kravis who sits on the board of Publicis, one of the world’s largest PR and communications companies.
Kravis is married to the billionaire Henry Kravis, founder of legendary investment firm KKR.
A true sense of the Bilderberg’s new tack could become apparent at its next annual meeting which will be in Sweden, appropriately the homeland of its new head Stoltenberg.
As for Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies has built a reputation as both a visionary entrepreneur and a polarizing figure in politics.
A staunch supporter of Donald Trump, Thiel’s influence has steadily grown within Bilderberg, a group that convenes heads of state, corporate executives, and policymakers for off-the-record discussions on global challenges.
His proximity to Trump allies, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, a former employee of Thiel’s Mithril Capital, places him in a unique position as Bilderberg recalibrates for Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda.
Thiel’s involvement with Palantir Technologies, a leading AI and data analytics firm, underscores his significance in global geopolitics.
Palantir’s role in military targeting and surveillance has been pivotal in conflicts including the current Russia-Ukraine war.
CEO Alex Karp, who also sits on the Bilderberg steering committee, recently highlighted Palantir’s impact, stating the company was ‘responsible for most of the targeting in Ukraine.’
This direct link to modern warfare exemplifies how Thiel’s tech empire aligns with Bilderberg’s interests in security and military investment.
Stoltenberg’s co-chair, is Canadian-American economist, philanthropist, Marie-Josée Kravis (pictured with her investor husband Henry Kravis) who sits on the board of Publicis, one of the world’s largest PR and communications companies
Pictured: Nadia Schadlow, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank
This cabal of the global, largely liberal, elite — with strong ties to the EU — meets every year amid a cloak of secrecy, but Stoltenberg’s appointment as co-chair also reflects the group’s strategic realignment amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Having overseen NATO’s largest defense reinforcement in a generation, Stoltenberg is no stranger to Bilderberg, participating in meetings since 2002.
His tenure as NATO chief was dominated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and increasing NATO expansion, making him a natural choice to steer Bilderberg’s discussions on transatlantic defense.
Meanwhile, Thiel’s growing influence at Bilderberg also signals a convergence of tech innovation and military strategy.
His robotics company, Anduril, and Palantir have both capitalized on the global arms race, reflecting the group’s longstanding ties to defense and intelligence.
Thiel’s ideological alignment with Trump and his tech-driven contributions to defense provide a modern reflection of Bilderberg’s founding ethos – melding elite influence with geopolitical strategy.
Stoltenberg’s leadership, coupled with Thiel’s outsized influence, points to a Bilderberg Group increasingly intertwined with military innovation and political strategy.
Even conspiracy theorists cannot agree among themselves what is the over-riding ideology of the Bilderberg Group, with some claiming it is unbridled capitalism and others claiming it is tinted with left-wing or even Nazi policies
Some have claimed that the group is ultimately trying to establish a New World Order, often claimed to be Marxist or fascist in nature
Bilderberg group meetings have previously sparked protests. Pictured protests from when the event was held in Vienna
As the group prepares for its next meeting in Stockholm, hosted by billionaire industrialist Marcus Wallenberg, the focus will likely center on defense spending and transatlantic cooperation in an era of renewed great-power competition.
So clandestine are the Bilderberg gatherings that no minutes are taken, no press conferences given and no reports published.
The conference operates under ‘Chatham House Rules’, which means participants can use and report information exchanged there, but not disclose the source.
The Bilderberg Group — so called because it first met in 1954 at the Hotel Bilderberg in the Netherlands — is made up of at least 120 self-proclaimed ‘leading citizens’ of Europe and the U.S., who meet annually to discuss ‘issues of common interest’.
Every summer, figureheads from politics, business, academia, finance and defense lock themselves away in a closely guarded hotel for three days to discuss topics of vital global significance about which the rest of us can only speculate.
Hypothesis and conjecture about the content of their talks inevitably abound.
At one extreme there are conspiracy theorists who believe that the hounding from office of Margaret Thatcher, the downfall of U.S. President Richard Nixon and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were all secretly orchestrated by the Bilderberg Group.
For Thiel, Bilderberg offers a platform to further his vision of blending technology with national security, solidifying his role as a power broker in a rapidly shifting global order
Bilderberg’s steering committee also includes prominent figures like Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, pictured
Such claims are, of course, outlandish, but mystery fosters extravagant speculation, and with no record of what goes on, critics have said it should be much more transparent.
Many argue that the event exists solely to serve as a networking and lobbying opportunity for its attendees.
The roll-call of attendees is invariably auspicious. Prime ministers, royalty including then-Prince Charles, has attended — army generals, corporate CEOs and bank governors all make time in their busy schedules to be there.
Some have claimed that the group is ultimately trying to establish a New World Order, often claimed to be Marxist or fascist in nature.
Radio host Alex Jones has been particularly vocal in his criticism of the Bilderberg Group, branding it as ‘evil,’ ‘ruthless’ and ‘puppeteers above the major parties’ in recent years.
But even the conspiracy theorists cannot agree among themselves what is the over-riding ideology of the Bilderberg Group, with some claiming it is unbridled capitalism and others claiming it is tinted with left-wing or even Nazi policies.
For Thiel, Bilderberg offers a platform to further his vision of blending technology with national security, solidifying his role as a power broker in a rapidly shifting global order.
While Stoltenberg works to keep the alliance unified and strong, Thiel’s presence will ensures that Silicon Valley’s fingerprints remain firmly imprinted on the future of global strategy.
Thiel’s influence extends into Trump’s administration, with a cadre of tech allies positioned for key roles.
Bilderberg’s steering committee also includes prominent figures like Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and a defense AI pioneer, and Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of Saab, a leading defense manufacturer.
With Trump set to return to the White House, Thiel’s network within Bilderberg is poised to bridge the gap between the administration’s nationalist priorities and the group’s transatlantic objectives.
As Stoltenberg seeks to reinforce NATO and transatlantic ties under potential strain from Trump’s policies, Thiel’s strategic position appears to be critical.
Bilderberg’s adaptability to political change has been a hallmark of its success since its founding in 1954.
Its agenda has shifted from Cold War fears of communism to a renewed focus but with similar themes – ‘the emerging axis of autocrats,’ including Russia and China.
