It's not just US President Donald Trump who has an interest in Greenland, but influential business personalities have been investing here for decades.
The region has quietly become a focus of private investment, tech billionaires, and venture capital circles, not limited to global powers or government statements. President Trump has emphasized the need for US control over Greenland, calling it a critical region for national security.
According to US media reports, technological sector economic interests are prominently emerging in the background of this interest. Greenland's vast territory, rare mineral deposits, and low population make it a crucial location for modern industrial needs. Reports suggest that US tech billionaires have been major financial backers of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, after which there has been increased activity in US policy regarding Greenland.
Donald Trump first mentioned Greenland in August 2019 during his first presidency, calling it a major real estate deal, but at that time, he did not include it in his priorities.
In recent years, Trump has repeatedly referred to Greenland as a significant opportunity, saying during the campaign that the US had missed an opportunity regarding Greenland in the past.
Before taking office, he stated that US ownership and full control of Greenland were absolute necessities.
According to a Forbes report, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, and Jeff Bezos have been investing in Kobold Metals since 2019, a company involved in the search for rare minerals. This investment was made through the Break Through Energy fund led by Bill Gates. In 2022, OpenAI founder Sam Altman also became an investor in the company, while other reports have mentioned financial backing by Mark Zuckerberg and Andreessen Horowitz.
In addition to mining, Greenland is also being considered as a potential location for cryptocurrency and digital governance experiments.
Reports indicate that the startup "Proximus," backed by Peter Thiel, has raised over $525 million to establish a new city in Greenland with minimal regulation. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutton previously headed Cantor Fitzgerald, a fund associated with which has invested in mining projects in Greenland. As Greenland becomes more prominent in Washington's strategic priorities, questions are also being raised about the relationship between US actions and private investment interests regarding the region.