A spokesman says the governor spoke at a Thiel event “ten or more years ago” and has had no involvement since. Three independent source streams — including a federal document and a 2026 retreat registration — tell a different story.
By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews
When a data leak exposed the internal membership records of Dialog — a secretive, invitation-only network founded by billionaire Peter Thiel — Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s name appeared on the list. His office’s response, delivered informally through a spokesman on social media, was quick and categorical: Moore spoke at a Thiel event roughly ten or more years ago and has had no involvement with the group since.
The documented record does not support that account.
Three independent source streams place Moore in Dialog’s orbit across more than a decade — and the most recent puts him on the registration list for a Thiel network retreat scheduled for this August, with his current title attached.
What the Documents Show
The first document is a federal record. When the Department of Justice released the Epstein files earlier this year, among the materials was an attendee list for Dialog’s 2014 retreat. Moore appeared on that list, identified at the time as the author of The Other Wes Moore, a former Special Assistant to Secretary of State Rice, and a former Director of Information Operations with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan.
The second source is independent journalism. In August 2025 — well before this week’s data leak — Axios reported that Moore was a member of Dialog. That report predates the leak entirely and is not derived from it.
The third source is the leaked data itself. WIRED, which independently verified the contents of Dialog’s exposed internal records, reported that the 2026 retreat registration list names 222 participants. Moore appears on that list. His entry carries a single identification: Governor, State of Maryland.
The Spokesman’s Claim and Its Problems
Moore has not issued an official statement. The response that has circulated came through a representative speaking informally — through a spokesman on Twitter/X and, separately, through a contact to an influencer or constituent. The substance of both communications was the same: Moore spoke at Thiel events approximately ten or more years ago, but has had no interactions with the group since.
That claim has at least two documented problems.
First, the Epstein files show 2014 attendance — already at least two appearances, not one — spanning at least 2013 and 2014. The “spoke once” framing does not match the federal record.
Second, and more significantly, Axios’s independent August 2025 report identified Moore as a member of Dialog. That report is not derived from this week’s leak. It was published roughly ten months ago and has not been corrected or disputed by Moore’s office. “Ten or more years ago” does not account for a membership report published less than a year ago.
The 2026 retreat registration — with his gubernatorial title, reflecting an update made after he took office — reinforces the gap between the spokesman’s account and the paper trail.
The Public Records Question
A structural detail in the leaked data raises a separate accountability issue specific to Moore as a sitting governor. WIRED reported that none of the 222 registrants on the 2026 retreat list used government email addresses. All registered using personal or corporate accounts.
For private citizens on the list — executives, academics, authors — that is unremarkable. For a sitting governor, the choice of email address is not merely a preference. Maryland’s Public Information Act covers communications made in an official capacity using government systems. By registering through a personal account, Moore’s participation in an off-the-record elite network — its sessions, its RSVPs, any related correspondence — falls outside the reach of public records requests that Marylanders are entitled to file.
Whether that was a deliberate choice or an incidental one, the effect is the same: a sitting governor’s involvement with a Thiel-founded network operating under strict off-the-record rules is not subject to public accountability through Maryland’s disclosure laws.
“Dialog has spent two decades declining to disclose its members.”
WIRED, June 16, 2026
What Dialog Is
Dialog was founded by Thiel and entrepreneur Auren Hoffman in 2006. It operates under a strict no-attribution rule — nothing said at its retreats may be publicly reported. It has no public-facing membership list and maintains no disclosed membership rolls. Accounts describe annual gatherings of roughly 100 participants, though the 2026 Dublin registration covers 222 people.
The network has been compared to the Bilderberg Group. The 2026 retreat is scheduled for August 12–16 at the Powerscourt Hotel outside Dublin, Ireland. Its session titles include “Navigating WWIII,” “Battlefield Technologies,” “Disinformation and Deepfakes,” and “Build-a-Party.”
The roster spans political party lines. Alongside Moore, the 2026 list includes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Cory Booker, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, Elon Musk, Jared Kushner, Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society, former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, and the co-founders of Palantir — the data analytics firm with extensive federal government contracts.
Moore’s office has not issued a formal statement as of publication.
What Remains Unknown
The leaked data contains a membership status field — distinguishing between “active member” and “guest” — for each participant. WIRED has not published those designations individually, and Moore’s specific status in that field has not been publicly confirmed. It is also not publicly confirmed whether Moore has attended any Dialog retreat since becoming governor in 2023, or whether he plans to attend the August 2026 Dublin gathering.
Those are answerable questions. Moore’s office can answer them. As of this writing, it has not.
Sources: Reporting in this article draws on WIRED’s June 16, 2026 investigation into Dialog’s leaked internal records; Axios’s August 2025 independent report on Dialog membership; the Department of Justice’s release of Epstein files including the Dialog 2014 attendee list (Document EFTA_R1_01726101 / EFTA02563382); Wikipedia’s updated Dialog entry reflecting the leak; the Stanford Daily’s reporting on Dialog affiliates; and public statements attributed to Moore’s office circulated through social media.
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