Trump Raises Eyebrows with Arctic Hospital Ship Proposal, Ignored Greenland’s Universal Healthcare

Original article: Trump vende humo en el Ártico: ofrece barco hospital y le recuerdan que en Groenlandia la salud es pública y gratuita

The Wall Street Journal revealed that the occupant of the White House appears to have fabricated orders regarding a health mission, as officials in Washington indicate that the Pentagon has not received any directive to deploy U.S. Navy ships to Greenland.

In a new chapter of his controversial interest in Greenland, U.S. President Donald Trump announced this weekend the deployment of a large hospital ship to the island. However, this initiative was outright rejected by Greenlandic authorities, who reminded the Republican magnate that in this Arctic territory, access to healthcare is a universal and free right.

The controversy erupted last Saturday when the occupant of the White House published a message on his platform Truth Social, promising healthcare assistance to a population he perceives as underserved.

“We are sending a large hospital ship to Greenland to care for the many sick people who are not receiving attention there,” he wrote, without providing numbers or specifying who might benefit.

“It’s on the way!!!” he asserted.

The post included an image—reportedly generated by artificial intelligence—showing the USNS Mercy, a 272-meter ship typically stationed in Southern California, sailing towards a horizon of snow-capped mountains.

Trump did not clarify whether this was the ship to be sent by his administration to Greenland and merely noted that the operation would be conducted in coordination with Jeff Landry, who was appointed as the U.S. special envoy for the Arctic island last December.

Trump’s Hollow Claims in the Arctic

Nonetheless, it appears that the occupant of the White House fabricated the deployment orders, as Washington officials have stated that the Pentagon has not received any instructions to send U.S. Navy ships to Greenland.

According to the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. possesses two hospital ships, the USNS Comfort, based on the East Coast, and the USNS Mercy, based on the West Coast, designed as floating medical facilities. However, maritime tracking information reveals that both vessels are currently in a shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

«The Comfort is under repair and is expected to conclude its maintenance in April, while the Mercy is in a year-long maintenance period that began last July,» detailed the cited outlet.

The confusion extended beyond U.S. borders. Trump’s comments caused bewilderment in Greenland and European capitals, where governments are increasingly concerned about his plans concerning this Arctic island, which has operated as an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty since the 18th century, despite his retraction in late January when he ceased demanding its acquisition.

This followed the signing of a framework agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte aimed at strengthening U.S. influence and opening avenues for discussions between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States.

According to the far-right Trump, this agreement would grant the United States greater access to conduct military operations and intelligence activities on the Arctic island.

Moreover, the U.S. would have the ability to extract rare earth minerals from Greenland’s subsoil without needing permission to access these essential materials for manufacturing consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and advanced weaponry systems, areas where China currently dominates the global market.

Denmark and Greenland Respond: ‘No, Thank You’

The Danish authorities quickly reacted to Trump’s announcement of the supposed hospital ship’s dispatch, reminding that Greenland does not need healthcare assistance.

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen indicated he had no information regarding the potential arrival of a hospital ship in Greenland.

“Trump constantly tweets about Greenland. (…) It is probably an expression of the new normal that has taken hold in international politics,” he stated, referring to the ongoing tirades of the American president.

In comments to Danish television, the minister further dismantled Trump’s hypothesis that Greenland requires external help to ensure the health of its populace.

«The Greenlandic population receives the medical attention they need, either in Greenland or, if they require specific treatment, in Denmark. It is not as if there is a need for a special health initiative in Greenland,» he asserted.

In Greenland, as in Denmark, access to healthcare is free. There are five regional hospitals across the vast Arctic island, and Nuuk’s hospital receives patients from all over the territory. Moreover, the Greenlandic local government signed an agreement with Copenhagen in early February to enhance the care of Greenlandic patients in Danish hospitals.

However, the clearest and most direct rejection came from Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who stated that Trump should speak to him instead of making “random comments on social media.”

“We will say no, thank you,” the Prime Minister asserted in a Facebook message, reminding that Greenland provides free healthcare to all citizens.

Simultaneously, just hours before Trump’s announcement, the Danish military reported that it had evacuated a crew member from a U.S. submarine off the city of Nuuk who