Silicon Valley and Trump's Greenland Plans

Researchers link Donald Trump's expansionist plans for Greenland to the interests of Silicon Valley and tech billionaires.

According to Pavel Devyatkin from The Arctic Institute, billionaires like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk see Greenland as a source of rare earth minerals and a field for liberal economic experiments, desiring "freedom cities" without democratic control and environmental laws.

Ken Howery, Trump's former ambassador to Denmark, is reportedly involved in talks to create these low-regulation zones.

Devyatkin points out a conflict of interest between the national security establishment that wants state control and the billionaires seeking deregulation. Both sides ignore Greenland's sovereignty and the rights of indigenous people.

The indigenous Inuit, who make up 89% of Greenland's 56,000 residents, largely oppose integration with the United States.

The White House is pursuing a Compact of Free Association (COFA), but this would first require Greenland's secession from Denmark.