Buying huge office towers, resorts and golf courses is so yesterday. US President Donald Trump has flagged the idea of buying the world’s biggest island – Greenland.

Reports have emerged that President Donald Trump talked to aides and allies about buying the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland for the United States.

A Trump ally told The Associated Press on Thursday that the president had discussed the purchase of the island, which sits between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, but was not serious about it.

The ally spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr Trump asked advisers during meetings, at dinners and in “passing conversations” whether it was possible for the US to buy Greenland.

Mr Trump “listened with interest when they discuss its abundant resources and geopolitical importance and, according to two of the people, has asked his White House counsel to look into the idea,” the paper reported.

It was also seen to be seen as an a “Alaska-style legacy for Mr Trump’s legacy”.

Amused – or shocked – social media went into meltdown, with many asking the question whether Greenland was bigger than Africa, was it impoverished or whether “Greenlanders” wanted to be sold off to the US.

My what a lovely meal and after-dinner walk. Why don’t I just go on Twitter to check out what’s happ— https://t.co/Zr0pKDCST2

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) August 15, 2019

It wouldn’t be the first time an American leader tried to buy the world’s largest island, an autonomous territory of Denmark.

In 1946, the US under Harry Truman proposed to pay Denmark $100 million to buy Greenland after flirting with the idea of swapping land in Alaska for strategic parts of the Arctic island.

Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen is one of several Danish politicians to express scepticism in response to US President Donald Trump’s reported interest in buying Greenland.

“It must be an April Fool’s Day joke,” Rasmussen wrote on Twitter.

It must be an April Fool’s Day joke … but totally out of sesson! https://t.co/ev5DDVZc5f

— Lars Løkke Rasmussen (@larsloekke) August 15, 2019

Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, one of two lawmakers in the Danish parliament elected from Greenland, also rejected the idea.

“No thanks to Trump buying Greenland! On the contrary, a better and more equal partnership with Denmark should be the way forward for a stronger and in the long-term more independent Greenland,” Larsen wrote on Twitter.

Nej tak til at Trump skal købe Grønland! Tværtimod bør et bedre og mere ligeværdigt partnerskab med Danmark være vejen frem for et stærkere og på sigt mere frit Grønland

— Aaja Chemnitz Larsen (@AajaCL) August 16, 2019

Martin Lidegaard, the foreign affairs spokesman for the Social Liberals that back the minority Danish government, referred to Trump’s interest as a joke.

“Trump to buy Greenland?! Hopefully a joke, but otherwise terrible idea with the risk of militarisation of Greenland and less independence for the Greenlandic people – in addition great loss for Denmark,” Lidegaard wrote on Twitter.

Trump købe Grønland?! Forhåbentlig en joke, men ellers forfærdelig tanke med risiko for militarisering af Grønland og mindre selvstændighed til det grønlandske folk – udover stort tab for Danmark #dkpol https://t.co/g49qGjjOFK

— Martin Lidegaard (@martinlidegaard) August 16, 2019

Mr Trump is reportedly scheduled to visit Greenland next month.

-with AAP