Apple has had no major innovations since Steve Jobs. Google’s promises for progress are falling flat. Artificial intelligence needs to be a wake-up call for Silicon Valley. Those are the views of one of the most influential investors in the United States, which he shared with Handelsblatt in an interview published March 20. Peter Thiel has been one of the engines for innovation in the U.S., but most recently, he made news for advising his Founders Fund to withdraw deposits from Silicon Valley Bank, which contributed to the bank’s collapse on March 10. This man’s powerful ideas and influence need to be watched closely.

Thiel is famous for propelling the rise of digital cash by founding PayPal. As an investor, he also helped the rise of SpaceX and Chatgpt. He is also a controversial figure. He was the first from Silicon Valley to support President Donald Trump, but he isn’t a core conservative. He is “married” to another man, “proud to be gay,” and on board with many liberal social trends.

Concerning President Trump, he told Handelsblatt: “My criticism would be that he didn’t really focus on the important structural problems. … There’s the geopolitical conflict with China, which Trump was the first to recognize, and issues of energy security and how we best accompany technological change. But our biggest challenge is technological stagnation.”

Thiel is a firm believer that innovation is the solution to our problems. He founded Palantir, an analysis company that cooperates with intelligence agencies and the police to track down criminals. He is even more excited about the biotech sector—especially the prospect of “longevity, the fight against death.”

Seeing his disillusionment with Silicon Valley, Handelsblatt asked if Germany has a future. “Yes,” he noted, “Germany has a middle class that is strong in research and development. And Germany has excellent scientists. Take mrna research, which gave us the covid vaccine.” But he added: “Germany is perhaps the country with the biggest gap between self-perception and potential.”

His longtime friend Elon Musk last year opened a massive Tesla “gigafactory” near Berlin. Thiel himself has strong connections to influential leaders in Europe. Thiel Capital, the billionaire’s investment house, hired former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz as a “global strategist.” He also has close connections to former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg—who calls him not just a fellow investor but a friend.

At the Trumpet we believe that the United States’ glory days are ending (for now) and that a new power will arise centered around Germany. The Bible reveals this in Daniel 2 and 7 and Revelation 13 and 17 (request a free copy of our booklet Daniel Unlocks Revelation). Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry noted in “Is KT zu Guttenberg About to Come to Power?” that the most likely man to lead this rising empire is Baron zu Guttenberg.

Guttenberg himself has often complained about Germany’s lack of an innovative spirit, but just like Thiel he praises Germany’s incredible potential. If Guttenberg would rise to the helm of a European power, it could inspire people like Thiel who are already connected to Europe to withdraw investments from the U.S. and shift them to Europe.

The disenchantment of U.S. billionaires with Silicon Valley needs to be closely watched. The Bible reveals that the U.S. is about to fall and Germany to rise.

We are standing at a historic place in technological advancement. If powerful investors like Thiel see hope in Germany during a time of innovation, it could trigger not only a new technological revolution but also a new power balance.