UPDATE - 'No thanks': Greenland rejects Trump's offer to send hospital ship to island

UPDATES WITH GREENLAND'S RESPONSE TO TRUMP'S OFFER; CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Esra Tekin and Seyit Kurt

ISTANBUL (AA) - Greenland on Sunday said that medical help is not needed from other countries, rejecting US President Donald Trump's offer to send a hospital ship to the region he desires to take over.

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said on Saturday that, working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, whom he appointed special representative for Greenland, the US will dispatch a hospital ship to the island.

“Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick and not being taken care of there,” says the US president. "It's on the way!!!"

“That will be ‘no thanks’ from us,” the Greenlandic prime minister said 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,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen added.

In recent months, Trump has renewed his interest in US control over Greenland, citing national security concerns about Russia and China. He threatened sanctions against European countries that opposed the move.

Trump later withdrew the threats after his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, saying they had established a framework for a potential agreement involving Greenland and the broader Arctic region, followed by talks between the US, Denmark, and Greenland.

He also said further discussions would be held on the US’ Golden Dome missile defense system in relation to Greenland.