Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, appointed as a special envoy to Greenland by President Donald Trump, has sharply criticized Greenland’s Prime Minister following the rejection of an offer for a U.S. Hospital ship.
– Skam deg, statsminister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Donald Trump og USA bryr seg, Landry wrote in a post on X.
The exchange follows a cryptic post by former President Donald Trump on Saturday, February 22, 2026, on his Truth Social platform stating that an American hospital ship was being dispatched to Greenland to care for “many sick people.” This latest development comes as Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring the autonomous Danish territory.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded to Trump’s announcement on social media, stating that his government had neither requested nor needed a U.S. Hospital ship.
– It’s a ‘no thank you’ from us,” Nielsen said.
– We have a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens. That is a deliberate choice, and a fundamental part of our society,” Nielsen continued.
– That’s just how it isn’t in the U.S., where it costs money to observe a doctor,” he added.
Landry Issues Strong Criticism
Whether an American hospital ship is actually en route to Greenland remains unclear, according to Danmarks Radio.
According to MarineTraffic, a website that tracks ships worldwide, both vessels are currently docked at a shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
The exact role Jeff Landry is intended to have regarding Greenland remains unclear. He is the governor of Louisiana and has not visited Greenland. But, in December he was designated by Trump as a special envoy to the island. He has not been known to have contacted either Danish or Greenlandic authorities.
He did, however, recently receive a visit from Jørgen Boasson, a Greenlandic supporter of the “Create America Great Again” movement, who previously helped facilitate Donald Trump Jr.’s visit to Greenland on January 7, 2025. according to a post on X.
On Sunday, Landry issued strong criticism of Greenland’s response to the hospital ship proposal.
– After speaking with many Greenlanders about the daily challenges they face, one issue stood out in particular – healthcare. Many villages and smaller towns lack basic services that Americans often accept for granted. A healthy Greenland is crucial for U.S. National security,” Landry wrote on X.
– A Sensitive Point
In both Denmark and Greenland, people are struggling to understand how to interpret the latest statement. Danish TV2’s U.S. Correspondent views Landry’s overnight statement as a “clear escalation.”
– Where yesterday there were several from the diplomatic side who probably hoped that the issue of the American hospital ship would die down, we are probably not there anymore,” said correspondent Lotte Mejlhede to her channel.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has extensive self-governance, including healthcare. Greenland’s healthcare system faces significant challenges, including a shortage of healthcare professionals and heavy reliance on temporary staff. Greenland’s Minister of Health Anne Wangenheim said on Sunday that Trump hit a sensitive nerve when he began discussing the healthcare system.
– When President Donald Trump announces that he will send a hospital ship to Greenland, it hits a sensitive point. Many citizens have experienced that serious illness means long and stressful journeys away from family and home. But the solution to structural challenges is not single, symbolic initiatives from outside,” she wrote on Facebook.
She recalled that a U.S. Submarine crew member recently needed medical assistance. In that instance, the Arctic Command, the Danish defense force, and Greenland’s healthcare system stepped in.
