President Donald Trump announces sending a hospital ship to Greenland
The American president indicated that this operation is being carried out in coordination with Jeff Landry, appointed in December as a special envoy of the United States in the Arctic region.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is sending a hospital ship to Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory that he covets and accuses Europeans of not adequately protecting against Russian or Chinese ambitions in the Arctic.
“We are going to send a large hospital ship to Greenland to take care of the many sick people who are not being treated there,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, without providing specific figures or specifying who may benefit. “It’s on its way!!” he added.
His post is accompanied by an image presumably generated by artificial intelligence representing the USNS Mercy, a 272-meter ship generally stationed in southern California, sailing towards a snowy mountain horizon. It is not clear if this is the ship that will actually be sent to Greenland.
The King of Denmark visits Greenland
The American president indicated that the operation to send the ship is being carried out in coordination with Jeff Landry, appointed in December as a special envoy of the United States in the Arctic region. Donald Trump and the White House regularly assert that Greenland and its resources are necessary for U.S. security against what they see as Moscow and Beijing’s intentions in this strategic Arctic area, much to the dismay of European capitals.
However, Donald Trump backed down from his threats after signing a framework agreement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, aiming to strengthen American influence and pave the way for talks between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States. The King of Denmark, Frederik X, visited Greenland this week to express his support.
A few hours before Trump’s message, the Danish military announced that a member of a U.S. submarine crew near Nuuk who needed urgent medical treatment was evacuated to the capital’s hospital.
