The media report that the conversation between Donald Trump and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about Greenland ended "horrendous," raising concerns among Danes about US intentions. The "Financial Times" reports that a heated exchange took place prior to the inauguration in Washington,

During last week's tense call with the Danish premier, Trump insisted he was serious about taking over Greenland, the Financial Times reported, raising fears about the future of trans-Atlantic relations.

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.