WASHINGTON (AP) - Aiming to put his mark on the world map, US President Donald Trump has talked to aides and allies about buying Greenland for the United States.

A White House ally told The Associated Press on Thursday (Aug 15) that the President had discussed the purchase but was not serious about it. The ally spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

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

Neither the White House nor Denmark immediately commented on Thursday.