Nuuk, Greenland – Denmark and Greenland have jointly rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to provide a U.S. Naval hospital ship to the Arctic island, citing an existing, functional public healthcare system. The proposal, announced by President Trump over the weekend, comes amid his continued interest in Greenland and repeated attempts to boost U.S. Influence in the region.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded to the offer with a firm “no thanks,” stating on his Facebook page that Greenland already has a public health system providing free healthcare to all citizens. “This is not the case in the United States, where going to the doctor costs money,” Nielsen wrote. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen echoed this sentiment, telling Danish broadcaster DR that the Greenlandic population already receives the healthcare it needs, either locally or in Denmark, and that “there is no need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland.”
President Trump had announced on Saturday, via his Truth Social platform, that he was sending “a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there.” He accompanied the announcement with an image of the USNS Mercy, a hospital ship. However, he provided no specific details regarding the alleged unmet healthcare needs of the population.
The rejection from both Greenland and Denmark underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the Arctic. Trump’s overtures towards Greenland, including previous, unsuccessful attempts to purchase the island, have been widely interpreted as a strategic effort to expand U.S. Influence in a region of growing geopolitical importance due to climate change and access to natural resources. These attempts have, however, consistently been met with resistance from both Greenland and Denmark.
While Greenland boasts a universal healthcare system, access to specialized care can be challenging, particularly in remote communities. The country relies heavily on Denmark for specialized medical treatment, with patients often traveling to Denmark for procedures not available locally. Aaja Chemnitz, who represents Greenland in the Danish Parliament, acknowledged the strain on Greenland’s healthcare system, stating on Facebook that the issues are “best solved in cooperation with Denmark, one of the richest and most well-educated countries, for example in the healthcare sector.” She added that relying on the U.S., which faces its own healthcare challenges, would not be the optimal solution.
Greenland currently operates five hospitals, many staffed by healthcare professionals from Denmark. The healthcare system is funded and administered similarly to that of Denmark, providing free access to care for all residents. This contrasts sharply with the U.S. Healthcare system, where access to care is often tied to insurance coverage and financial resources.
The logistical challenges of providing healthcare in Greenland are significant. Many remote villages are only accessible by boat or helicopter, making rapid response to medical emergencies difficult. Heidi Nolsö, the village leader of Kapisillit, located 75 kilometers from Nuuk, has been advocating for a defibrillator for her community for some time, citing the lengthy travel times for emergency medical assistance. “If you have a heart attack, it’s too late,” she told AFP. Greenlandic Health Minister Anna Wangenheim acknowledged on Facebook that Trump’s announcement resonated with many Greenlanders due to these existing challenges, but emphasized that structural problems require long-term solutions, not “isolated and symbolic initiatives from outside.”
The incident comes shortly after the Danish military evacuated a crew member from a U.S. Submarine off the coast of Greenland due to a medical emergency. The individual was transported to a hospital in Nuuk, demonstrating the existing cooperation between the two countries in addressing medical needs in the region.
President Trump’s repeated expressions of interest in Greenland, including previous proposals to purchase the island and now the offer of a hospital ship, have been met with consistent rejection. His actions reflect a broader pattern of seeking to assert U.S. Influence in the Arctic, a region increasingly attracting attention from major global powers. The latest episode, however, highlights the strong desire of both Greenland and Denmark to maintain control over their own affairs and to address their healthcare needs through existing, established channels.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, expressed her satisfaction on Facebook with living in a country where healthcare access is free and equitable, stating that treatment is not determined by insurance or wealth. She did not directly mention the United States in her post.
