A former Trump official is eyeing a massive data center project in a remote part of Greenland—but can it succeed? That question is now at the center of a bold, multi-billion-dollar proposal that could reshape the global race for AI infrastructure.
A senior figure from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s first administration is backing plans for a colossal data center complex in one of Greenland’s most isolated regions, as global hyperscalers scramble to add computing capacity to support the rapid rollout of artificial intelligence technologies.
A Scale Few Have Attempted Before
The proposed facility is designed to reach an operational capacity of 300 megawatts (MW) by mid-2027. If all goes to plan, further expansion would push total capacity to a staggering 1.5 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2028.
To put that in perspective, the initial phase alone would dwarf most operational data centers currently in existence. Still, industry momentum suggests Greenland wouldn’t be alone for long. Multiple 1-GW-plus facilities are already being planned worldwide as tech giants race to secure the infrastructure needed for increasingly energy-hungry AI systems.
Billions in Investment—and High Stakes
The Greenland project is expected to cost several billion dollars. According to Drew Horn—CEO of GreenMet and a former senior aide to then-Vice President Mike Pence—the venture has already secured binding investor commitments to fund half of both its initial and final development phases.
The site under consideration is near Kangerlussuaq, a small settlement located at the end of a deep fjord on Greenland’s southwest coast. The area’s key advantage: an existing airport that could support logistics for such a large-scale build.
While engineering and technical partners are already on board to support construction and operations, the project has yet to finalize land access or secure approvals from local authorities. Horn declined to name the companies involved, citing confidentiality.
Greenland in the Geopolitical Spotlight
Commercial interest in Greenland has surged in recent weeks as the Arctic island once again found itself at the center of geopolitical debate following renewed rhetoric from Trump around potential U.S. acquisition.
Beyond strategic positioning, Greenland is rich in untapped resources. Critical minerals and vast freshwater reserves have drawn attention, although critics argue that limited infrastructure and harsh conditions make large-scale development challenging.
The AI Infrastructure Boom
The timing of the Greenland proposal aligns with an unprecedented boom in data center investment. In 2025 alone, global data center deals reached a record $61 billion, driven by the explosive growth of AI workloads.
Tech heavyweights such as Meta, OpenAI, Oracle, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google are pouring billions into new facilities worldwide, seeking reliable power, cooling efficiency, and geopolitical stability.
Horn said planning for the Greenland data center began over a year ago, with technical partners already selected to support construction, operations, and energy supply. However, funding—structured as a mix of debt and equity—remains contingent on regulatory approvals, particularly from Greenland’s government.
Ties to Trump-Era Officials
GreenMet, the advisory firm supporting the project, includes several former Trump-era figures among its shareholders. George Sorial, formerly an executive vice president and chief compliance counsel at the Trump Organization, and Keith Schiller, Trump’s longtime bodyguard and former director of Oval Office operations, helped establish the company in 2021.
Sorial emphasized that both he and Schiller are passive minority shareholders with no operational role. Schiller did not respond to requests for comment.
Horn himself has been actively engaging with both Greenlandic and Danish officials. He recently met with Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, as part of ongoing discussions around the project.
While officials have generally been receptive, Horn acknowledged that diplomacy—not private capital—remains the biggest hurdle, especially given lingering sensitivities around U.S. involvement in Greenland.
“Our project is entirely private,” Horn said, “but it only works if all affected governments and communities are aligned.”
Powering a Giant in the Arctic
Securing sufficient energy is one of the project’s biggest challenges. For the first 300 MW phase, the plan involves using specialized barges carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the fjord.
For the larger expansion, developers aim to build a hydroelectric facility. Hydropower already accounts for roughly 70% of Greenland’s energy production, making it a natural fit—if permits are approved. Applications for both the LNG barges and the hydro facility are still under review.
Horn believes that, if approved, locally generated hydropower would make long-term energy costs competitive and help justify the massive investment.
Advantages—and Serious Obstacles
Experts say Greenland does offer compelling benefits. Cold ambient temperatures can significantly reduce cooling costs, a major expense for data centers.
“The real value lies in Greenland’s resource profile—abundant hydropower and natural ‘free cooling,’” said Noah Ramos, a strategist at Alpine Macro.
Still, the Arctic environment presents formidable challenges. Construction seasons are short, costs are high, and waste heat from servers can destabilize frozen ground without specialized engineering solutions.
There’s also a technological wildcard. Nvidia and other chipmakers are developing more energy-efficient processors that require less cooling. If those advances accelerate, the need for extreme-environment data centers could diminish.
A Bold Vision, Still Unproven
For now, the Greenland data center remains an ambitious vision—one that sits at the intersection of AI expansion, geopolitics, energy strategy, and Arctic engineering. Whether it becomes a cornerstone of future AI infrastructure or another unrealized mega-project will depend on approvals, diplomacy, and how fast technology itself evolves.
What’s clear is that A former Trump official is eyeing a massive data center project in a remote part of Greenland—but can it succeed? The answer could shape not just Greenland’s economic future, but the next phase of the global AI race.