"We will send a modern hospital ship to Greenland to care for many sick people who are not receiving treatment there. It's on its way!!!", US President Donald Trump stated in a social media post on 21/2. He did not provide details on specific beneficiaries or the number of people to be assisted.

The US President did not disclose the name of the deployed ship. However, the post included an image, seemingly AI-generated, showing the hospital ship USNS Mercy heading towards snow-capped mountains on the horizon.

Image of the hospital ship USNS Mercy in President Trump's post on 21/2. *Truth Social/@RealDonaldTrump*

It is unclear whether the Greenlandic government requested US medical assistance, or why Trump believes residents there are not receiving adequate care.

President Trump added that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who was appointed as the US special envoy to Greenland in 12/2025, will coordinate the ship's deployment.

Trump posted several hours after the Danish Arctic Command announced the evacuation of a US submarine crew member requiring urgent medical treatment in Greenlandic waters, approximately 13 km from the capital, Nuuk.

It is unclear if Governor Landry has any connection to this incident or if the post is related to the evacuation operation. The US Navy operates two hospital ships, USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, but neither is based in Louisiana.

USNS Mercy at sea in 2018. *US Navy*

The Mercy-class hospital ship is the third largest vessel in the US Navy's fleet, trailing only the Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers. The Mercy class originally consisted of supertankers built in the 1970s. These were later acquired and converted into hospital ships by the US Navy, entering service between 1986 and 1987.

Each ship measures 272 m in length, has a displacement of over 70,000 tons, and features 1,000 hospital beds, 12 operating rooms, and various medical equipment. US hospital ships are designed for medical examination and treatment missions for soldiers operating on warships. Additionally, the ships undertake international humanitarian missions in conflict zones or disaster-stricken areas worldwide.

Greenland, part of Denmark, has a population of 57,000 people and an area of approximately 2,16 million km2, making it the world's largest island. The island lies on the shortest route from North America to Europe, making it a critical strategic location for Washington. It also possesses abundant and largely untapped mineral resources.

Location of Greenland island. *BBC*

Trump previously stated that the US would control Greenland, citing security reasons, and did not rule out using military measures to achieve this goal. However, both the Greenlandic government and the Danish government vehemently opposed the US President's plan.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in 1/2026, President Trump stated that he and NATO leaders had reached a framework for an agreement on Greenland. He also reiterated his desire to control the island but affirmed there were no plans to use force.

By Vu Hoang (According to AFP, Reuters)