Trump allies eye Greenland for “Freedom City” as tech moguls push libertarian utopia

As Donald Trump's team renews its push to acquire Greenland—by purchase or by force—several prominent tech investors are promoting a plan to transform the icy territory into a "freedom city": a libertarian innovation hub with minimal regulation. 

Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the idea is being seriously considered by Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Denmark, Ken Howery.

Howery, a PayPal co-founder and longtime friend of Elon Musk, has deep roots in Silicon Valley's startup-city movement. While he declined to comment, sources say he is expected to spearhead Greenland negotiations if confirmed by Congress. The plan for a high-tech enclave includes ambitions for artificial intelligence labs, autonomous vehicle testing, space launches, micro nuclear reactors, and high-speed rail.

The initiative mirrors Trump’s 2023 campaign promise to build deregulated "freedom cities" within the US. It also reflects a growing alliance between Trump and libertarian tech elites such as Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Shervin Pishevar—many of whom are backing similar projects worldwide.

Though still in early discussion stages, support from figures like Praxis co-founder Dryden Brown adds momentum. Brown, who visited Greenland last year, sees the remote island as a perfect testing ground for Mars colonization, echoing Musk’s vision. “We must build a prototype of Terminus on Earth before departing for Mars,” he wrote on X, naming Greenland as the ideal site.

Despite Denmark owning Greenland, the island governs itself. Polls show most Greenlanders oppose joining the US. A recent visit by US Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife triggered protests, with Greenland’s new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, condemning it as a “lack of respect.”

Speaking to troops stationed at the US base in Greenland, Vance accused Denmark of failing to protect the territory from “aggressive incursions” by Russia and China, though he gave no evidence.

Trump has refused to rule out military action if Denmark won’t sell. “We have to have Greenland,” he said recently, doubling down on a proposal first floated in his previous term.

The territory—three times the size of Texas with just 57,000 residents—holds significant strategic value due to its mineral resources and existing US military presence.

The broader movement behind "freedom cities" taps into a techno-libertarian nostalgia for American frontier expansion. “It can be the dawn of a new Manifest Destiny,” Pishevar said. The idea also dovetails with Pronomos Capital, a venture firm backed by Thiel and Andreessen, which is already developing charter cities globally.

While some in the tech world cheer the vision, neither Denmark nor Greenland's authorities have responded to the idea of a city funded by US tech investors on the island. Trump’s ambitions, however, suggest the plan—however far-fetched—may not fade quietly.

By Tamilla Hasanova