Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejects Donald Trump’s proposal to deploy a US Navy hospital ship to the Arctic island, saying Greenland already provides free public healthcare.
Greenland’s prime minister on Sunday flatly rejected a proposal by Donald Trump to send a US Navy hospital ship to the Arctic island coveted by the US leader.
Trump said on Saturday on social media he was working with Louisiana Governor and special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, to send a hospital boat to Greenland.
“That will be ’no thanks’ from us,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who heads the government of the autonomous Danish territory, wrote on his Facebook page.
“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.
Nielsen said Greenland remained open to dialogue and cooperation, also with the U.S.
“But talk to us instead of just making more or less random outbursts on social media,” he said.
Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. late last month launched diplomatic talks to resolve the crisis between the parties, following months of tension within the NATO defence alliance over Trump’s threats against the Arctic territory.
Trump’s post on the ship came hours after Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command said it had evacuated a crew member who required urgent medical treatment from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters, seven nautical miles outside of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. It was unclear if the post had any connection to the evacuation.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of months of strain between Greenland, Denmark and the United States. Tensions have resurfaced within the NATO alliance over Trump’s renewed rhetoric suggesting strategic interest in the Arctic territory. Greenland holds significant geopolitical importance due to its location and untapped natural resources, and it plays a key role in Arctic security and transatlantic defence arrangements.
Late last month, Greenland, Denmark and the United States initiated diplomatic discussions aimed at easing friction and clarifying future cooperation. Danish officials have reiterated that Greenland is not for sale, while Greenlandic leaders have emphasised their autonomy and right to determine their own political and economic future.
Trump’s hospital ship proposal was posted just hours after Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command confirmed it had evacuated a crew member in need of urgent medical care from a US submarine operating in Greenlandic waters, roughly seven nautical miles from the capital, Nuuk. It was not immediately clear whether the president’s proposal was linked to that incident.
While Greenland maintains close security cooperation with Washington — including hosting US military facilities — its leadership has consistently pushed back against suggestions that the island could become a bargaining chip in broader geopolitical manoeuvring.
With inputs from agencies
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