In an unexpected twist, Donald Trump’s grand proposal to acquire Greenland has a significant tech link. Enter Ken Howery, nominated by President-elect Trump to serve as the ambassador to Denmark—and perhaps mastermind of this daring acquisition, embodying a continuation of tech influencers in Trump’s forthcoming administration.
A crucial player in the original “PayPal Mafia”, Howery’s role as CFO was instrumental in amalgamating the company before its sell-off to eBay. Founding the esteemed venture capital firm Founders Fund with Peter Thiel and other tech luminaries is another feather in his cap – not to mention his established friendship with Elon Musk.
Courtesy of his vast experience in the tech investment realm and mergers & acquisitions, Howery has navigated through some of Silicon Valley’s most challenging deals. However, Greenland could potentially be his longest reach to date.
The sentiment from Denmark and Greenland about a potential sale is currently lukewarm, bordering on amused. As stated by Greenland’s Prime Minister Muté Egede, “We don’t want to be Americans.”
Howery’s ambassadorship in Sweden under Trump’s previous administration paints a picture of his inclination towards challenging deals. This position’s appeal lies in the calculated risk associated with negotiating one of the most complex real estate transactions for an established mogul like Trump.
So, what’s drawing Trump’s attention towards Greenland? On the surface layer, it’s geopolitics. Trump has expressed that “the United States feels that the ownership of Greenland is an absolute necessity for National Security and Freedom worldwide.”
Yet, one cannot ignore Greenland’s vast reserves of oil and rare earth elements – vital components for battery and hardware production. Couple this with its arctic temperatures, it becomes an ideal spot for AI data centers. By acquiring Greenland, the US can further reduce dependencies on countries like China and Russia for these resources. How Howery navigates this situation, however, could fuel a political drama worth watching.
Original source: Read the full article on TechCrunch
