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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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A coalition of campaign groups opposed to regulation has called for the creation of "freedom cities" across the U.S, and the idea is backed by some of the most high profile billionaires in the U.S, including Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen.
The cities would be pockets of deregulated areas, with the aim of promoting innovation and technological advancement.
Newsweek contacted the Charter Cities Institute for more information via email.
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Why It Matters
Deregulation has been a consistent talking point for conservatives and the U.S. entrepreneurial class for a long time, and freedom cities are the latest iteration of that approach. By condensing a lack of regulation into urban areas, it makes the implementation of the policy much easier than a full-scale federal repeal on existing rules.
What To Know
According to reports from Wired, some groups calling for freedom cities have already been in communication with the Trump administration.
The Freedom Cities Coalition, a think tank pushing for the creation of unregulated areas in every state, said that it had informed the White House about the use of interstate compacts to create the cities.
This would involve at least two states designating land along their borders to be allocated for the city, and agreeing on shared taxation and policy positions.
Another organization pushing for the concept is Próspera, which is supported by Pronomos Capital, a venture capital firm which is in turn backed by Thiel and Andreessen. Thiel already has close ties to the Trump administration and has supported Vice President JD Vance's political career since his run for Senator in Ohio.
President Donald Trump has previously called for the creation of freedom cities. In March 2023, he called for the redistribution of federal land for 10 new urban areas, saying: "Our objective will be a quantum leap in the American standard of living. That's what will happen. Here are just a few of the ways we can do it.
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"Almost one-third of the land mass of the United States is owned by the federal government. With just a very, very small portion of that land—just a fraction, one half one percent—would you believe that we should hold a contest to charter up to 10 new cities and award them to the best proposals for development?
"In other words, we'll actually build new cities in our country again. These Freedom Cities will reopen the frontier, reignite American imagination, and give hundreds of thousands of young people and other people—all hardworking families—a new shot at home ownership, and in fact, the American dream."
Other proponents have said that Trump could create federal enclaves with specific economic and jurisdictional zones that are exempt from other regulations via executive order, though this has yet to be tested.
What People Are Saying
The Freedom Cities Coalition describes the project on its website: "Freedom Cities are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve the housing crisis, bring American manufacturing home, and unleash the full potential of American entrepreneurs through the creation of special districts called Prosperity Zones."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen when the whole plan will get the green light, and which agencies will be responsible for bringing it to fruition.
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