Trump made it clear that he was "serious" about acquiring Greenland, but Danish PM Mette Frederiksen rejected the idea outright, stating Denmark was not interested in "selling" the mineral-rich island.

Anders Vistisen, a Danish member of the European Parliament, has told U.S. President Donald Trump to "f*** off" after Trump again expressed interest in purchasing the island of Greenland. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.

In 1865, in the wake of the Civil War, the U.S. began looking to expand its influence on the world stage. This happened at precisely the moment when Russia, having just lost the Crimean War, was seeking to counterbalance British power in the Pacific. This proved to be the perfect recipe for American expansion in the Arctic.