Trump sends 'great hospital boat' to Greenland to take care of ‘many people who are sick’: 'It's on the way'

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said that, in cooperation with Governor Jeff Landry, the government would send a “great hospital boat” to Greenland to help care of “sick people”, adding that it is already on its way.

Trump said on Truth Social, “Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It’s on the way!!!"

He did not provide details of the said ship allegedly headed for Greenland.

Trump's Greenland push

Trump has long maintained that the US should take control of Greenland because of its strategic importance and mineral wealth, even though the island governs its own affairs. He stepped up those demands shortly after a US military operation in January that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Thousands of Greenlanders walked through snow and ice last month to protest against Trump’s stance on the island. They displayed banners, waved the national flag, and shouted “Greenland is not for sale” to defend their autonomy and reject the idea of US control.

Trump said he wants to “get Greenland, including right, title and ownership,” but maintained that he would not use force to achieve that goal. Speaking last month at the World Economic Forum (WEF), he repeatedly hit out at European allies and said NATO should not block US expansion.

He called on NATO to allow the US to take Greenland from Denmark, issuing a stark warning that alliance members could agree, saying yes “and we'll be very appreciative. Or you can say, No,' and we will remember", as per PTI.

Trump on January 21 pulled back from earlier threats to use tariffs as a way to gain control of Greenland, ruled out military action, and indicated that a possible agreement could resolve tensions over the Danish territory that had threatened to cause a major rift in transatlantic relations.

While attending meetings in Davos, Switzerland, he eased his tone after weeks of strong statements that unsettled the NATO alliance and raised concerns about a potential global trade conflict.

Trump took to his Truth Social platform and said that the US and NATO had "formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," and that “based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st”.

It marked the latest in a pattern of policy shifts or withdrawn threats by Trump before deadlines he had set during his second term in office.

Denmark said the matter should be addressed through private diplomatic channels rather than discussed publicly on social media.

"What is crucial for us is that we get to end this with respect for the integrity and sovereignty of the kingdom (of Denmark) and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination," Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen informed public broadcaster DR.