Trump Sends USNS Mercy Hospital Ship To Greenland, Danish Leaders Say “No Thanks”

US President Donald Trump said he is sending a US Navy hospital ship to Greenland, claiming residents were “not being taken care of” in the Danish territory.

Greenlandic and Danish leaders quickly rejected the offer saying the island already provides free public healthcare.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to dispatch a “great hospital boat” to Greenland. The post included an illustration of the naval hospital ship USNS Mercy.

The United States operates two hospital ships, USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, primarily for military medical support and humanitarian missions.

Both vessels are approximately 894 feet (272 meters) long and can carry up to 1,000 hospital beds. They include 12 operating rooms and full intensive care facilities.

According to shipyard updates and vessel tracking data, both ships are currently docked in Mobile, Alabama.

The White House has not released operational details, and US Northern Command referred inquiries to the Navy, which did not comment further.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected the proposal, stating that Greenland maintains a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens.

Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has a population of about 56,000 people spread across a vast Arctic landmass of more than 2.1 million square kilometers.

Patients often travel by boat, helicopter, or aircraft for treatment due to the island’s remote geography. Complex medical cases are handled at the main hospital in Nuuk or referred to Denmark for specialised care.

Nielsen said Greenland remains open to cooperation with the United States but emphasised that decisions about healthcare are made locally.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said there was no need for special external medical intervention. He stated that Greenlandic residents receive treatment either locally or in Denmark when specialised care is required.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also defended Denmark’s universal healthcare model, stating that access to treatment is not determined by income or insurance coverage.

Trump’s claim that Greenlanders were “not being taken care of” triggered criticism online. Many users pointed out that Greenland has universal healthcare, unlike the US system where access often depends on insurance and cost.

People also noted that patients who need advanced treatment are flown free of charge to Denmark on special medical aircraft.

The announcement came shortly after Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command evacuated a US submarine crew member about 7 nautical miles (13 km) from Nuuk for urgent treatment. The sailor was taken to a hospital under Greenlandic health authorities.

Greenland is strategically important in the Arctic because of its mineral resources, shipping routes, and location between North America and Europe.

Climate change is opening new maritime routes through the Arctic, increasing global naval interest in the region.

The US Navy’s hospital ships have historically supported disaster relief and military operations. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the USNS Comfort deployed to New York City to provide additional medical capacity.

However, hospital ship deployments typically support conflict zones, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises, not developed territories with existing healthcare systems.

Relations between Denmark and the United States have sometimes been tense over Greenland.

Trump has previously expressed interest in acquiring the Arctic island, citing strategic and security considerations.

References: Reuters, CNN

Source: Maritime Shipping News