Silicon Valley Billionaires Push for 'Freedom City' in Greenland Amid Trump's Acquisition Plans

Billionaires dream of building utopian techno-city in Greenland

A handful of wealthy, politically connected Silicon Valley investors are reportedly eyeing Greenland's icy shores as the site for a techno-utopian "freedom city." That's according to a report from Reuters, which details a proposed effort to establish a new, libertarian-minded municipality characterized by minimal corporate regulation and a focus on accelerating emerging technologies like AI and mini nuclear reactors. Supporters of increased economic development in Greenland argue its frigid climate could naturally cool massive, energy intensive AI data centers. Large deposits of critical and rare earth minerals buried beneath the island's ice sheets could also potentially be used to manufacture consumer electronics. The so-called "start-up city" -- which bears similarities to another ongoing venture in California's Solano County -- reportedly already has the backing of PayPal founder Peter Thiel and Ken Howery, President Donald Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador. If confirmed by the Senate, Howery would lead US discussions to acquire Greenland. In that role, Howery could potentially act as a bridge linking the audacious freedom city investors with the US government. All of that, it's worth noting, will also almost certainly face fierce backlash from Danish officials who have repeatedly pushed back on the Trump's administration's proposals to take over the Arctic island. Proposals to create billionaire-funded stateless societies around the world have been attempted over the years, but none have evolved past much more than a proof of concept. The Reuters report cites claims Howery, Thiel, and prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreesen are amongst the most prominent names backing the Greenland effort. Howery, who still needs the US Senate to confirm his position as ambassador to Denmark, is reportedly a long-time friend of billionaire Elon Musk and formerly founded a venture capital firm with Thiel. Thiel, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the loudest supporters, both vocally and financially, of the "Seasteading" movement, which is trying to build floating, stateless utopia cities in the ocean. Andressen, notably, is also part of a tech-investor consortium California Forever looking to build the city in Solano County. Each of these efforts -- along with others like the already existing city Próspera in Honduras -- are united by libertarian political ideals, a focus on technological development, and lots of money. Rumors around the proposed Greenland city date back at least to November 2024 when Praxis co-founder Dryden Brown fired off a series of tweets explaining how he had tried to purchase land in Greenland. Praxis is a self-described "internet-native nation" crypto startup with a stated goal of "restor[ing] Western civilization," and has reportedly received over $525 million in funding to start building out new cities. Brown told Reuters he has since been approached by several companies to explore establishing a new city on Greenland. Related: [Silicon Valley's wealthiest want to build their own city outside of San Francisco] The idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, once widely regarded as a joke during the first Trump administration, has evolved into a serious U.S. foreign policy objective. The president campaigned on the issue during the 2024 election and has since doubled down, despite repeated assertions from Danish officials that the island isn't for sale. Nevertheless, Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, visited a U.S. military installation on the island in March 2024 and delivered a speech urging Greenlanders to voluntarily cut ties with Denmark. (Recent polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Greenland residents oppose the idea of possible annexation by the U.S.) President Trump, meanwhile, has not ruled out the possibility of taking the territory by force. So why all the obsession with a mostly uninhabitable island with a population of around 57,000? Supporters of Greenland development laid out their arguments during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing earlier this year. During the hearing, Texas Mineral Resources Board Chairman Anthony Marchese claimed Greenland's coastline holds what is "indisputably" one of the greatest collections of minerals found in a single jurisdiction. That includes rare earth minerals, which are crucial to powering a plethora of modern consumer electronics devices. "Throw a dart at any part of the coastline and you will surely hit a world class [mineral] target," Marchese said during the hearing. Most of those minerals are currently buried beneath thick sheets of previously impenetrable ice. But supporters of investment in Greenland argue that new mining techniques, combined with the melting of some ice due to a warming climate, could make those once-inaccessible minerals within reach. Others, like US Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) say Greenland's cool temperatures and proximity to geothermal vents could make it an ideal location to power the massive data centers needed for AI. In theory, that combination of cool temperatures and access to energy could be attractive for tech companies looking to rapidly ramp up computing capacity without relying on fossil fuels. Brown, the Praxis founder, also told Reuters he believes Greenland's harsh topography could make it an ideal site for experiments aimed at replicating the surface of Mars.

Trump's New Plan for Acquiring Greenland Is UBI for Its Residentsâ€"on Americans' Dime: Report

President Donald Trump's obsession with acquiring Greenland is ongoing, despite aggressive disinterest on the part of the territory's inhabitants, or those of its parent country, Denmark. Indeed, the White House is reportedly considering some pretty creative tactics to sell Greenlanders on the deal, including paying them a regular annual stipendâ€"on the U.S. taxpayer's dime. The New York Times reported last week that the White House has a plan that sounds strikingly similar to a universal basic income scheme, or UBI. Such a program would represent the "carrot" approach, rather than the "stick" (Trump has also suggested a military invasion of Greenland, should Denmark refuse to sell). The newspaper reports that the Trump administration is: ...studying financial incentives for Greenlanders, including the possibility of replacing the $600 million in subsidies that Denmark gives the island with an annual payment of about $10,000 per Greenlander. Some Trump officials believe those costs could be offset by new revenue from the extraction of Greenland’s natural resources, which include rare earth minerals, copper, gold, uranium and oil. For decades, proponents of basic income have encouraged the government to adopt such a program as a means of easing economic stress for millions of people here in America. Now, it seems the Trump administration is actually considering creating such a programâ€"albeit for people living tens of thousands of miles away. The fact that the program would be funded with Americans' money would presumably add insult to injury to the voters who thought Trump would shrink government spending, not add to it. Recent news suggests that the Greenland acquisition may not be all about extracting valuable mineral deposits from its frozen tundra. Last week, Reuters reported that Ken Howery, a former "PayPal mafia" member and the Trump administration’s pick for ambassador to Denmark, is officially involved in plans to use Greenland as a testbed for the development of so-called "freedom cities"â€"newfangled communities where government oversight and regulation are negligible and corporate profits and "freedom" are the priority. It was previously reported that Howery, who is a longtime friend of billionaires Peter Thiel and Elon Musk (both of whom have expressed interest in such communities), was in the running for the Danish ambassadorship. Howery previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Sweden between 2019 and 2021. Despite being geographically huge, Greenland only has a population of some 57,000 people. To deranged libertarian billionaires, it must seem like the perfect location to trial their utopian fantasies. Citing sources who are aware of the administration's plans for the territory, Reuters reports: The vision for Greenland, one of the people said, could include a hub for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, space launches, micro nuclear reactors and high-speed rail. The discussions reflect a longstanding Silicon Valley movement to establish low-regulation cities globally, including in the United States, which Trump himself promised to do in a 2023 campaign video. Proponents use different names for variations on the idea, including startup cities or charter cities, with the common goal of spurring innovation through sweeping regulatory exemptions. Additionally, Reuters reports that Howery is taking these discussions "seriously": The discussions are in early stages, but the idea has been taken seriously by Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, who is expected to be confirmed by Congress in the coming months and lead Greenland-acquisition negotiations, the people said. Howery, whose involvement with the idea hasn't been previously reported, once co-founded a venture-capital firm with tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a leading advocate for such low-regulation cities. The pursuit of the "freedom city" dream has been fueled by a bizarre ideological movement known as the "Network State movement." True believers of said movement want to build their own privately owned, cryptocurrency-powered citiesâ€"the likes of which are untouchable by traditional open and democratic government structures. This movement has been partially funded by Howery's pal and fellow "mafia" gang member, Thiel. Indeed, the organizations behind the Network State movement have received considerable financial support from the billionaire, who also financially supported Trump during his first presidential run in 2016. In a statement to Reuters, Thiel's spokesperson denied he was involved in "freedom city" plans: “Peter isn’t involved in any plans or discussions regarding Greenland," they said.

Silicon Valley is pushing Trump to make Greenland a 'Freedom City'

The discussions are in early stages, but the idea has been taken seriously by Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, who is expected to be confirmed by Congress in the coming months and lead Greenland-acquisition negotiations, the people said. Howery, whose involvement with the idea hasn't been previously reported, once co-founded a venture-capital firm with tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a leading advocate for such low-regulation cities. Howery is also a longtime friend of Elon Musk, a top Trump adviser. Howery declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The vision for Greenland, one of the people said, could include a hub for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, space launches, micro nuclear reactors and high-speed rail.

Like Trump, Silicon Valley wants Greenland, too - for a Big Tech utopia

Leaders from both Denmark and Greenland stated their disinterest in joining the U.S. after Trump expressed interest in acquiring the island. As the Trump administration intensifies efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark - or take it by force - some Silicon Valley tech investors are promoting the frozen island as a site for a so-called freedom city, a libertarian utopia with minimal corporate regulation, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The discussions are in early stages, but the idea has been taken seriously by Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, who is expected to be confirmed by Congress in the coming months and lead Greenland-acquisition negotiations, the people said. Howery, whose involvement with the idea hasn't been previously reported, once co-founded a venture-capital firm with tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a leading advocate for such low-regulation cities. Howery is also a longtime friend of Elon Musk, a top Trump advisor. One "charter city" investor wrote on social media that the U.S. needs Greenland a test run for settlements on Mars, Musk's enduring obesession. Howery declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. Arctic nuclear reactors, high-speed rail The vision for Greenland, one of the people said, could include a hub for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, space launches, micro nuclear reactors and high-speed rail. The discussions reflect a longstanding Silicon Valley movement to establish low-regulation cities globally, including in the United States, which Trump himself promised to do in a 2023 campaign video. Proponents use different names for variations on the idea, including startup cities or charter cities, with the common goal of spurring innovation through sweeping regulatory exemptions. The administration's consideration of such a quixotic quest underscores the growing clout of tech magnates and Trump's increasingly expansionist foreign policy. After campaigning on a largely isolationist platform, Trump has since his November election suggested taking back the Panama Canal, annexing Canada and redeveloping the war-torn Gaza Strip after seizing the beachfront land from displaced Palestinians. Greenland is about three times the size of Texas with a population of only 57,000. But the island is strategically important to the U.S. military, which has a base there, and contains substantial deposits of minerals, including rare-earths. Trump has refused to rule out taking Greenland by military force if Denmark won't sell it. "We have to have Greenland," Trump said late last month as his Vice President, J.D. Vance, visited a U.S. military base on the island. Vance toured Greenland with his wife Usha Vance, a visit that ignited protests from Greenlanders, who overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of America, polls show. The island is owned by Denmark but governs itself. Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the U.S. visit signalled a "lack of respect." Speaking to troops at the U.S. military base, Vance accused Denmark of failing to protect Greenland from "very aggressive incursions from Russia, and from China and other nations," without detailing the alleged aggression. The government of Denmark declined to comment on the idea of U.S. tech investors founding a city there. Greenland didn't respond. Silicon Valley's 'Manifest Destiny' The freedom-city movement reflects a fascination with settling new American frontiers, rooted in nostalgia for the nation's 1800s western expansion. Expanding to Greenland "can be the dawn of a new Manifest Destiny," said tech investor Shervin Pishevar, referring to the 19th-century philosophy that America was an exceptional nation with a God-given mission to conquer territory. Thiel, a libertarian and early Trump supporter, wrote in 2009 that he no longer considered democracy compatible with freedom and has advocated escaping politics by colonizing outer space or seasteading -- building communities in ungoverned oceans. Fellow venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, an informal advisor to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of a tech-investor consortium seeking to build a city on grazing land outside San Francisco. Another venture capitalist and informal DOGE advisor, Joe Lonsdale, also promotes low-regulation cities. In a statement to Reuters, Lonsdale celebrated "expanding our country to Greenland" but did not comment on plans for a city there. Startup cities Thiel and Andreessen, leading proponents and financiers of the startup-city movement, are among those supportive of a Greenland outpost, two of the sources said. Reuters could not determine whether the two billionaires are actively lobbying the Trump administration for a Greenland city. Andreessen declined to comment. Thiel spokesman Jeremiah Hall said: "Peter isn't involved in any plans or discussions regarding Greenland." Musk did not respond to comment requests. Thiel has invested along with Andreessen and Pishevar in Pronomos Capital, a venture-capital firm that has launched a half dozen charter-city projects globally, according to Pronomos founder Patri Friedman, the grandson of famous free-market economist Milton Friedman. Most Pronomos projects are in development and negotiations with various governments, Friedman said, but it has helped finance one existing startup community in Honduras called Próspera. Elon Musk and Mars Pronomos also invested in Praxis, a city-building venture that in October announced $525 million in financing for a new city. Praxis' investors include Lonsdale, a fund launched by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his brothers, and Pishevar, who co-founded Hyperloop One, a defunct venture once championed by Musk. Praxis co-founder Dryden Brown told Reuters other companies have approached Praxis about helping to establish a Greenland city. Brown flew to Greenland last year. He advocates for building a city there in part because its harsh environment could provide a test site for colonizing Mars - one of Musk's highest ambitions. "We must build a prototype of Terminus on Earth before departing for Mars," Brown posted on X in November, using Musk's term for a red-planet settlement. "I believe Greenland is the place, @elonmusk."

Greenland 'Freedom City'? Rich donors push Trump for a tech hub up north

As the Trump administration pushes to acquire Greenland, tech investors are promoting the island as a site for a libertarian "freedom city" with minimal regulation. This idea has gained traction with Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, and reflects Silicon Valley's broader movement to establish low-regulation cities globally. The vision includes hubs for AI, autonomous vehicles, and space launches.As the Trump administration intensifies efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark - or take it by force - some Silicon Valley tech investors are promoting the frozen island as a site for a so-called freedom city, a libertarian utopia with minimal corporate regulation, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The discussions are in early stages, but the idea has been taken seriously by Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, who is expected to be confirmed by Congress in the coming months and lead Greenland-acquisition negotiations, the people said. Howery, whose involvement with the idea hasn't been previously reported, once co-founded a venture-capital firm with tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a leading advocate for such low-regulation cities. Howery is also a longtime friend of Elon Musk, a top Trump advisor. Howery declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The vision for Greenland, one of the people said, could include a hub for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, space launches, micro nuclear reactors and high-speed rail. The discussions reflect a longstanding Silicon Valley movement to establish low-regulation cities globally, including in the United States, which Trump himself promised to do in a 2023 campaign video. Proponents use different names for variations on the idea, including startup cities or charter cities, with the common goal of spurring innovation through sweeping regulatory exemptions. The administration's consideration of such a quixotic quest underscores the growing clout of tech magnates and Trump's increasingly expansionist foreign policy. After campaigning on a largely isolationist platform, Trump has since his November election suggested taking back the Panama Canal, annexing Canada and redeveloping the war-torn Gaza Strip after seizing the beachfront land from displaced Palestinians. Greenland is about three times the size of Texas with a population of only 57,000. But the island is strategically important to the U.S. military, which has a base there, and contains substantial deposits of minerals, including rare-earths. Trump has refused to rule out taking Greenland by military force if Denmark won't sell it. "We have to have Greenland," Trump said late last month as his Vice President, J.D. Vance, visited a U.S. military base on the island. Vance toured Greenland with his wife Usha Vance, a visit that ignited protests from Greenlanders, who overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of America, polls show. The island is owned by Denmark but governs itself. Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the U.S. visit signalled a "lack of respect." Speaking to troops at the U.S. military base, Vance accused Denmark of failing to protect Greenland from "very aggressive incursions from Russia, and from China and other nations," without detailing the alleged aggression. The government of Denmark declined to comment on the idea of U.S. tech investors founding a city there. Greenland didn't respond. 'NEW MANIFEST DESTINY' The freedom-city movement reflects a fascination with settling new American frontiers, rooted in nostalgia for the nation's 1800s western expansion. Expanding to Greenland "can be the dawn of a new Manifest Destiny," said tech investor Shervin Pishevar, referring to the 19th-century philosophy that America was an exceptional nation with a God-given mission to conquer territory. Thiel, a libertarian and early Trump supporter, wrote in 2009 that he no longer considered democracy compatible with freedom and has advocated escaping politics by colonizing outer space or seasteading - building communities in ungoverned oceans. Fellow venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, an informal advisor to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of a tech-investor consortium seeking to build a city on grazing land outside San Francisco. Another venture capitalist and informal DOGE advisor, Joe Lonsdale, also promotes low-regulation cities. In a statement to Reuters, Lonsdale celebrated "expanding our country to Greenland" but did not comment on plans for a city there. Thiel and Andreessen, leading proponents and financiers of the startup-city movement, are among those supportive of a Greenland outpost, two of the sources said. Reuters could not determine whether the two billionaires are actively lobbying the Trump administration for a Greenland city. Andreessen declined to comment. Thiel spokesman Jeremiah Hall said: "Peter isn't involved in any plans or discussions regarding Greenland." Musk did not respond to comment requests. Thiel has invested along with Andreessen and Pishevar in Pronomos Capital, a venture-capital firm that has launched a half dozen charter-city projects globally, according to Pronomos founder Patri Friedman, the grandson of famous free-market economist Milton Friedman. Most Pronomos projects are in development and negotiations with various governments, Friedman said, but it has helped finance one existing startup community in Honduras called Prospera. Pronomos also invested in Praxis, a city-building venture that in October announced $525 million in financing for a new city. Praxis' investors include Lonsdale, a fund launched by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his brothers, and Pishevar, who co-founded Hyperloop One, a defunct venture once championed by Musk. Praxis co-founder Dryden Brown told Reuters other companies have approached Praxis about helping to establish a Greenland city. Brown flew to Greenland last year. He advocates for building a city there in part because its harsh environment could provide a test site for colonizing Mars - one of Musk's highest ambitions. "We must build a prototype of Terminus on Earth before departing for Mars," Brown posted on X in November, using Musk's term for a red-planet settlement. "I believe Greenland is the place, @elonmusk."

Why are Silicon Valley tech titans eyeing to acquire Greenland along with Donald Trump?

Denmark has shown no willingness to entertain any proposals, and Greenland's leadership has resisted U.S. attempts to gain influence. Even as Donald Trump, the U.S. President, renews his contentious bid to buy Greenland, Silicon Valley's tech titans seem to be mulling over a similar aspiration. Top venture capitalists and tech moguls are considering Greenland as a location for a cutting-edge "freedom city," an experimental urban hub with minimal regulation and a technology-based economy, according to people familiar with the situation, as per a report by USA Today. Trump's fascination with Greenland -- first articulated when he was president -- returned this week as one aspect of his wider expansionist agenda, which has involved plans to retake the Panama Canal and annex regions of Canada. Meanwhile, plans are afoot in Silicon Valley to capitalize on Greenland's enormous, sparsely populated landscapes for an experimental technology center, sources said, as per a report by USA Today. The concept has been said to have been seriously considered by Ken Howery, a former PayPal executive and Trump's U.S. Ambassador to Denmark nominee. Howery, who is renowned for his close relationship with billionaire investor Peter Thiel and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has held preliminary talks on the viability of a low-regulation city on the island. Though Denmark has emphatically spurned Trump's earlier advances, there are some American investors who view Greenland's low population, critical location, and mineral riches as good reasons for a long-term presence there. The planned Greenland city, insiders say, would be a center for artificial intelligence, space launches, high-speed transport, and micro-nuclear reactors. This fits with the larger Silicon Valley trend of building privately run cities with minimal government oversight. Venture capitalists have traditionally attempted to create "charter cities" -- governments-within-governments aimed at promoting accelerated technological and economic growth with lower regulations. Such attempts have been tried in several worldwide locations, among them Honduras and regions of Africa. Musk's fascination with Greenland, according to insiders, also relates to his Mars colonization plans. Proponents of the Greenland venture are convinced that its harsh conditions would provide a testing ground for the creation of self-sufficient settlements in space. Trump's latest attempt to buy Greenland -- either through diplomatic diplomacy or, as he has threatened, by military force -- has ignited tensions with Denmark and the indigenous people of Greenland. Vice President J.D. Vance was criticized during his recent visit, with Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, condemning the U.S. strategy as disrespectful. Greenlanders have mostly resisted American ownership, concerned about losing their self-rule and cultural identity. Some analysts, though, contend that an economy driven by technology would bring new prospects to the island, which is at present dependent on fishing and tourism. The Silicon Valley-backed bid for a Silicon Valley-style city in Greenland follows a larger philosophical shift among several of America's most powerful billionaires. Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale are among those who have been advocating for years for libertarian zones, attempting to create communities untethered from traditional government interference. Thiel, an outspoken Trump supporter, has already promoted fleeing conventional politics through space colonization or floating "seasteads" in the middle of international oceans. Meanwhile, Musk's friends have been coveting Greenland as a proving ground for infrastructure to support space exploration, including as a future launch point for travel between planets. A few of the supporters of the Greenland project position it as a contemporary manifestation of America's past expansionism, comparing it to Manifest Destiny in the 19th century. Tech investor Shervin Pishevar has hinted that buying Greenland might represent a new frontier of innovation, similar to the westward expansion that defined the United States. Even with the sweeping ambitions, the major political and logistical challenges exist. Denmark has not been inclined to consider such proposals, and Greenland's ruling elite has spurned attempts by the United States to extend its influence. Still, since Trump's reappearance on the political scene and Silicon Valley's ongoing fascination with unregulated innovation, the possibility of a high-tech Greenland colonization continues to be seriously debated. Donald Trump has revived his interest in purchasing Greenland as part of his broader expansionist agenda. His previous attempts were rejected by Denmark, but he remains interested due to Greenland's strategic location, natural resources, and potential for economic development. Several top venture capitalists and tech moguls are exploring Greenland as a potential site for a "freedom city" -- a tech-driven urban hub with minimal regulation, focusing on AI, space exploration, high-speed transport, and micro-nuclear reactors.

Greenland 'Freedom City'? Rich donors push Trump for a tech hub up north | BreakingNews.ie

As the Trump administration intensifies efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark -- or take it by force -- some Silicon Valley tech investors are promoting the frozen island as a site for a so-called freedom city, a libertarian utopia with minimal corporate regulation, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The discussions are in early stages, but the idea has been taken seriously by Mr Trump's pick for Denmark ambassador, Ken Howery, who is expected to be confirmed by Congress in the coming months and lead Greenland-acquisition negotiations, the people said. Mr Howery, whose involvement with the idea hasn't been previously reported, once co-founded a venture-capital firm with tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a leading advocate for such low-regulation cities. Mr Howery is also a longtime friend of Elon Musk, a top Trump advisor. Mr Howery declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Sources who spoke to Reuters requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The vision for Greenland, one of the people said, could include a hub for artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, space launches, micro nuclear reactors and high-speed rail. The discussions reflect a longstanding Silicon Valley movement to establish low-regulation cities globally, including in the United States, which Mr Trump himself promised to do in a 2023 campaign video. Proponents use different names for variations on the idea, including startup cities or charter cities, with the common goal of spurring innovation through sweeping regulatory exemptions. The administration's consideration of such a quixotic quest underscores the growing clout of tech magnates and Mr Trump's increasingly expansionist foreign policy. After campaigning on a largely isolationist platform, Mr Trump has since his November election suggested taking back the Panama Canal, annexing Canada and redeveloping the war-torn Gaza Strip after seizing the beachfront land from displaced Palestinians. Greenland is about three times the size of Texas with a population of only 57,000. But the island is strategically important to the US military, which has a base there, and contains substantial deposits of minerals, including rare-earths. We have to have Greenland. Mr Trump has refused to rule out taking Greenland by military force if Denmark won't sell it. "We have to have Greenland," Mr Trump said late last month as his vice president, JD Vance, visited a US military base on the island. Mr Vance toured Greenland with his wife Usha Vance, a visit that ignited protests from Greenlanders, who overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of America, polls show. The island is owned by Denmark but governs itself. Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the US visit signalled a "lack of respect". Speaking to troops at the US military base, Mr Vance accused Denmark of failing to protect Greenland from "very aggressive incursions from Russia, and from China and other nations," without detailing the alleged aggression. The government of Denmark declined to comment on the idea of US tech investors founding a city there. Greenland didn't respond. The freedom-city movement reflects a fascination with settling new American frontiers, rooted in nostalgia for the nation's 1800s western expansion. Expanding to Greenland "can be the dawn of a new Manifest Destiny," said tech investor Shervin Pishevar, referring to the 19th-century philosophy that America was an exceptional nation with a God-given mission to conquer territory. Mr Thiel, a libertarian and early Trump supporter, wrote in 2009 that he no longer considered democracy compatible with freedom and has advocated escaping politics by colonising outer space or seasteading -- building communities in ungoverned oceans. Fellow venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, an informal advisor to Mr Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of a tech-investor consortium seeking to build a city on grazing land outside San Francisco. Another venture capitalist and informal DOGE advisor, Joe Lonsdale, also promotes low-regulation cities. In a statement to Reuters, Mr Lonsdale celebrated "expanding our country to Greenland" but did not comment on plans for a city there. Mr Thiel and Mr Andreessen, leading proponents and financiers of the startup-city movement, are among those supportive of a Greenland outpost, two of the sources said. Reuters could not determine whether the two billionaires are actively lobbying the Trump administration for a Greenland city. Mr Andreessen declined to comment. Thiel spokesman Jeremiah Hall said: "Peter isn't involved in any plans or discussions regarding Greenland". Mr Musk did not respond to comment requests. Mr Thiel has invested along with Mr Andreessen and Pishevar in Pronomos Capital, a venture-capital firm that has launched a half dozen charter-city projects globally, according to Pronomos founder Patri Friedman, the grandson of famous free-market economist Milton Friedman. Most Pronomos projects are in development and negotiations with various governments, Mr Friedman said, but it has helped finance one existing startup community in Honduras called Próspera. Pronomos also invested in Praxis, a city-building venture that in October announced $525 million in financing for a new city. Praxis' investors include Lonsdale, a fund launched by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his brothers, and Pishevar, who co-founded Hyperloop One, a defunct venture that tried to commercialize an idea championed by Musk. Praxis co-founder Dryden Brown told Reuters other companies have approached Praxis about helping to establish a Greenland city. Mr Brown flew to Greenland last year. He advocates for building a city there in part because its harsh environment could provide a test site for colonising Mars - one of Mr Musk's highest ambitions. "We must build a prototype of Terminus on Earth before departing for Mars," Mr Brown posted on X in November, using Mr Musk's term for a red-planet settlement. "I believe Greenland is the place, @elonmusk."