Greenland rejects Trump’s offer to send US hospital ship

Greenland has politely declined an offer from US President Donald Trump to send a hospital ship to the autonomous Danish territory, after he claimed Greenlanders were not receiving adequate healthcare, The Guardian reports.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “It’s on the way!!!”

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded on Facebook, saying: “That will be ‘no thanks’ from us. President Trump’s idea to send a U.S. hospital ship here to Greenland has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens.”

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland for national security reasons and appointed Landry as US special envoy to the Arctic island in December.

In Greenland, as in Denmark, healthcare is free at the point of use and funded by taxpayers. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen defended the system on Facebook: “I am happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all. Where it’s not insurances and wealth that determine whether you get proper treatment.” She added that Greenland follows “the same approach” as Denmark.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also rejected Trump’s claims, telling broadcaster DR: “The Greenlandic population receives the healthcare it needs. They receive it either in Greenland, or, if they require specialised treatment, they receive it in Denmark. So it’s not as if there’s a need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland.”

Greenland has six hospitals serving fewer than 60,000 residents. Earlier in February, the territory’s government signed an agreement with Copenhagen to improve access for Greenlandic patients to Danish hospitals.

The US president’s repeated interest in Greenland has strained relations with Denmark and other NATO allies. Last week, King Frederik of Denmark made his second visit to Greenland in 12 months to reaffirm unity in response to US overtures.

Frederiksen called US pressure “unacceptable” and “outrageous,” while Nielsen said his country had never before felt threatened in such a way.

By Vafa Guliyeva