The US president said a vessel was "on the way" to Greenland, with the move coming amid a rift between the US and Europe over control of the strategically important island.

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was sending a hospital boat to Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

He said the boat would treat many "sick" people in the island. Trump did not provide any additional details about who he was referring to or the number of people the boat would help.

"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," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "It's on the way!!!," he added.

Danish Arctic Command Evacuates US submariner

Trump said in the post that he was working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to send the hospital boat. The US president named Landry as his envoy to Greenland in December.

It was unclear whether the ship had ​been requested by Denmark or Greenland and which sick people needed help. Trump's post came after Denmark's Joint Arctic Command said it had evacuated a US submarine crew member who required urgent medical attention.

The submarine was in Greenland's waters, seven nautical miles outside of the capital Nuuk and it was not clear if Trump's post was connected in any way to the evacuation.

Trump's Greenland Push Ratchets up Tensions

The announcement, however, gains significance amid a deep rift between the Trump administration and Europe over control of the territory.

Greenland, the world's largest island, is a mineral-rich, strategically important Arctic territory. It is self-governing but remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Trump says the island is crucial for US national security and that he wants to acquire it. He even threatened to seize it by force if necessary.

The rhetoric has ratcheted up tensions between Washington and its European NATO allies. Greenland, Denmark and the US have engaged in talks to resolve the situation.

Trump dialed back his threats after reaching a "framework" deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte to ensure greater US influence over Greenland.

Earlier this week, Denmark's King Frederik X visited Greenland. It was his second visit to the island in a year, an attempt to demonstrate unity with the territory in the face of Trump's push to acquire control of the vast island.