Trump says he’s sending hospital ship to Greenland

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States plans to send a Navy hospital ship to Greenland, the self-governing Danish territory that he has repeatedly said he would like the U.S. to acquire.

In a social media post, Trump said that, in coordination with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry — whom he recently appointed as his special envoy to Greenland — the U.S. would dispatch a “great hospital boat” to care for residents he claimed were not receiving adequate medical treatment. The post included an image of the USNS Mercy, one of the Navy’s two hospital ships. Landry quickly shared the message, voicing support for the initiative.

Trump made the announcement shortly before hosting Republican governors for dinner at the White House, where Landry was seated beside him. The move comes amid Trump’s continued push to assert greater U.S. control over Greenland, which he argues holds strategic importance for American national security. He has maintained that the Arctic territory is vital due to its geographic position and growing geopolitical significance.

However, Danish leaders swiftly rejected the suggestion that Greenland’s health system is lacking. Denmark’s Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, stated on national broadcaster DR that residents of Greenland already receive appropriate medical care, either locally or, when specialized treatment is required, in Denmark. He emphasized that there is no need for an extraordinary outside health initiative.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously criticized U.S. pressure regarding Greenland, calling it unacceptable during remarks at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month. On Sunday, she praised Denmark’s universal health care system in a Facebook post, highlighting equal access to treatment regardless of income. Although she did not directly mention Trump’s hospital ship proposal, she underscored that the same principles apply in Greenland.

Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also defended the territory’s health services, describing them as a fundamental pillar of society. He contrasted Greenland’s system with that of the United States, noting that medical care in America can be costly.

Landry, who is scheduled to visit Greenland in March, defended the decision, arguing that public health and national security are closely linked. In a post on X, he wrote that ensuring Greenland’s well-being is important to U.S. strategic interests.

The U.S. Navy operates two hospital ships — the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort — which are typically deployed to support military operations, disaster relief efforts, and humanitarian missions.

The timing of Trump’s announcement raised questions, as it came just hours after Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command reported evacuating an American crew member from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters for urgent medical treatment. It remains unclear whether the president’s decision to send a hospital ship was connected to that incident.

Source: POLITICO