The hospital ship President Donald Trump sent to Greenland is receiving an icy welcome from officials of the Arctic island.
Trump announced Saturday that he sent a U.S. hospital ship to “take care” of Greenland’s population. The president’s declaration comes as he has set his eye on the island, and claimed the vessel is being sent to tend to sick people “not being taken care of there.”
However, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signaled on Sunday he would rejecting the ship’s services, saying it’s “a no thank you from here.”
“President Trump’s idea of sending an American hospital ship here to Greenland has been noted. But we have a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens,” Nielsen said. “That is a deliberate choice — and a fundamental part of our society. That is not how it works in the USA.”
Nielsen also urged Trump to cooperate with Greenland “instead of making random statements on social media.”
“Dialogue and cooperation require respect for the fact that decisions about our country are made here at home,” the prime minister added.
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Trump indicated his decision to send the ship was made with Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA), who the president tapped to serve as special envoy to Greenland in December.
Trump’s direction of the hospital ship to Greenland comes shortly after NATO began boosting its defense in the Arctic, largely conducting military drills. The United Kingdom also recently announced it would deploy its largest warship to the region in an effort to deter Russian aggression.
