Gay Billionaire Peter Thiel Moves to Argentina to Escape the U.S.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is building a new life in Argentina. He shares beliefs with Argentina's far-right leader Javier Milei.
Peter Thiel is one of the most powerful tech billionaires in the world. He is also openly gay. Now, he is spending more and more time in Argentina.
Thiel co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook. He has been close to Donald Trump and supports right-wing politics. Many LGBTQ+ people find this confusing. Thiel is gay, but he supports politicians who often hurt LGBTQ+ rights.
Why is Thiel moving to Argentina? Sources say he is worried about the future of the United States. He does not feel at home there anymore. Argentina gives him a kind of escape.
Thiel also agrees with many ideas of Argentina's president, Javier Milei. Milei is a far-right libertarian leader. He wants to cut government spending and remove regulations. Thiel believes in similar ideas about free markets and small government.
But Milei's government is not friendly to LGBTQ+ people. His administration has removed the gender equality ministry. It has also cut funding for LGBTQ+ programs. Many queer Argentinians are now afraid for their rights.
This raises important questions. Can a gay man support a leader who harms the LGBTQ+ community? Thiel seems to say yes. For him, economic freedom comes first. LGBTQ+ rights seem to come second, or not at all.
This is not new for Thiel. He supported Trump in 2016 and again in 2024. Trump's government also rolled back many LGBTQ+ protections. Thiel stayed silent about this.
Critics in the LGBTQ+ community say Thiel uses his wealth to protect himself. Rich gay men can often avoid the harm that other queer people face. They can move to a private estate. They can hire lawyers. They can leave a country if things get bad.
Most LGBTQ+ people cannot do this. They must stay and fight for their rights. Thiel's move to Argentina shows a clear divide. There is a big difference between rich queer people and everyone else.
His new life in Argentina is comfortable. But for many queer Argentinians, life is becoming harder. That contrast is impossible to ignore.