WASHINGTON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump considered selling Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the destructive Hurricane Maria in 2017, former acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke has told the New York Times.

In an interview with the newspaper on Friday, Duke said that "the president's initial ideas were more of as a businessman."

"Can we outsource the electricity? Can we sell the island? You know, or divest of that asset?" Trump reportedly said, according to the New York Times interview.

Nonetheless, the idea of selling the U.S. territory was never seriously considered or discussed after it was raised, Duke said.

Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017 and caused an estimated 2,982 fatalities and 90 billion U.S. dollars in damage, according to official data.

Trump has criticized Puerto Rican officials for their management of the relief fund that his administration provided for the island's recovery. In November 2018, White House officials told Congress that Trump didn't want any additional relief funding to the island.