Denmark Evacuates US Submarine Crew Member for Medical Treatment in Greenland
TL/DR –
Denmark’s military evacuated a crew member of a U.S. submarine off the coast of Greenland for urgent medical treatment. U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, alleging that many people there are sick and not receiving care, prompting a defense of Denmark’s health care system from Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The move comes amid recent strains in the relationship between the U.S. and Denmark over Trump’s talk of a possible U.S. takeover of the mineral-rich and strategically located Arctic island.
Denmark Military Evacuates US Submarine Crew Member for Medical Treatment
A crew member from a U.S. submarine was evacuated by the Danish Joint Arctic Command for urgent medical treatment off Greenland’s coast. The individual was recovered 7 nautical miles from Nuuk and transferred to a city hospital using a Danish Seahawk helicopter deployed from an inspection ship.
US Hospital Ship Deployment to Greenland
Simultaneously, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deployment of a hospital ship to the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland, claiming that numerous individuals were ill and overlooked. He used his Truth Social platform to share the news, stating that the hospital ship was en route to Greenland to assist the “many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there.”
However, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen disclosed to public broadcaster DR that Danish authorities had not been notified about the ship’s dispatch.
Strained NATO Allies: Denmark and United States
Recent disputes have sparked tension in the historically strong relationship between the NATO allies Denmark and the United States after World War II. Particularly, Trump’s escalated talk of a potential U.S. takeover of Greenland – an island rich in minerals and strategically located in the Arctic – has raised considerable concern.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Defends Healthcare System
Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, defended Denmark’s health care system to counter Trump’s claims. She articulated her pride in being a part of a country that provides free and equal health access to all, where wealth and insurance do not dictate the quality of treatment one receives.
Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic politician in the Danish parliament, criticized Trump’s decision to send a “poorly maintained hospital ship” to Greenland, calling the action desperate and unhelpful towards the sustainable enhancement of the healthcare system that Greenland needs.
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