The official rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump presents the purchase of Greenland as a priority for national security. However, behind the political statements lies a clear connection to the interests of the American technology sector. The vast territory, significant mineral reserves, and low population density make the island an attractive platform for developing advanced industries.
In this context, the U.S. pursuit of control over the region appears to be a logical step. The leading figures from Silicon Valley were the main sponsors of Trump's 2024 election campaign, and such investments traditionally come with certain expectations regarding government policy.
Evolution of the White House Arctic strategy
Donald Trump first publicly discussed the possibility of acquiring Greenland in August 2019. At the time, the president described it as a 'major real estate deal,' although he emphasized that the issue was not a top priority. Six years later, the administration's priorities have significantly changed.
During the 2024 election campaign, the topic of Greenland was raised regularly. Trump repeatedly referred to the refusal to expand in the Arctic as a missed opportunity. Just one month before his inauguration, he stated that bringing the island under U.S. control is an 'absolute necessity.' Notably, this concept did not emerge spontaneously. The president acts more as a political conduit for ambitions of the tech industry, which had already taken shape long before his current term.
Private capital and the race for rare earth metals
Over the past decade, a group of billionaires and venture capital funds has consistently expanded their presence in the region. As their strategies unfold, Trump has become the most suitable instrument for transforming private interests into state initiatives.
The main factor making Greenland attractive remains its reserves of rare earth metals. These resources are critical for producing modern electronics and artificial intelligence systems. In particular, figures such as Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, and Jeff Bezos have shown sustained interest in the territory since 2019.
Key investors in Greenland's natural resources
Investor Organization Area of Activity Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy Exploration of rare earth metal deposits Jeff Bezos KoBold Metals Geological exploration using neural networks Sam Altman Apollo Projects Investments in critical raw material mining Peter Thiel Praxis Creation of zones with special legal status
According to Forbes, these entrepreneurs are investing in KoBold Metals, a company that uses machine learning algorithms to search for metals. In 2022, Sam Altman, founder of OpenAI, joined the investor pool. Additionally, Mark Zuckerberg and the venture fund Andreessen Horowitz are involved in the project.
Greenland as a platform for new forms of governance
Beyond fossil fuel extraction, the island is seen as a testing ground for new models of governance and financing based on blockchain technologies. Peter Thiel, a long-time ally of Trump, supports the startup Praxis led by Draidan Brown. The project aims to create a 'network state' — an innovative city with minimal government regulation.
Representatives of Praxis publicly examined Greenland as a potential location for implementing their concept. The startup has already raised over $525 million to develop an urban environment based on tokenization of real assets. Thus, the island could become a frontier for urban experiments, where traditional legislation is replaced by digital protocols.
Direct influence of business on foreign policy
The connection between commercial interests and the state apparatus is also evident at the personnel level. Individuals linked to companies seeking Greenland's resources have taken key positions in the administration.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previously led Cantor Fitzgerald. The investment divisions of this firm support Critical Metals Corp — a company planning to launch mining projects on the island by 2026. According to industry sources, investors in this organization largely overlap with those who financed Trump's media projects.
Diplomatic appointments also confirm this direction. Ken Haughey, co-founder of PayPal and a long-time business partner of Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, has been appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. As a result, national security serves more as a public justification, while the real driver is the economic interests of the largest capital owners.