Fact Check: Is Trump’s claim that many in Greenland are sick and untreated true?

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the tensions surrounding President Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland, he has announced that he is sending a hospital boat to Greenland, claiming that many people in the Arctic region are sick and not being taken care of. Let us analyse the truth behind the president’s claim and fact-check it.

Claim: Donald Trump claimed people in Greenland are sick and not being taken care of

Trump on Saturday, February 21, posted on his Truth Social handle, “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!!! President DJT.”

The claim that people in Denmark’s autonomous territory are sick and are not being taken care of has sparked speculations among many, who are questioning the authenticity of the president’s claim.

Fact Check: False, Greenland provides free healthcare

“That will be ‘no thanks’ from us,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Greenlandic prime minister, wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.

“President Trump’s idea to send a US hospital ship here to Greenland has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens,” he said.

Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, responded to Trump’s social post, writing on Facebook, Frederiksen said she was 'happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all. Where it’s not insurance and wealth that determine whether you get proper treatment.'

In order to make it easier for Greenland patients to receive specialized medical care in Danish hospitals, Denmark and Greenland decided to increase their health cooperation.

This is a component of a larger health agreement that aims to improve Greenland residents' healthcare outcomes.

As part of this cooperation, Denmark allocated about $253 million in 2026 for further health system upgrades and related support to strengthen services and access.

Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland

Trump’s hospital ship announcement arrives as he continues to press his long-standing ambition to acquire Greenland from Denmark.

He has repeatedly framed the potential takeover as a national security priority, citing the island’s strategic proximity to Russia and China.

However, both Greenland and Denmark have strongly pushed back against the idea. In January, Denmark led a troop deployment to the region with support from NATO allies, including France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

During his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump once again reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland but signaled he does not intend to seize the territory militarily, despite earlier rhetoric that had hinted at tougher options.