WASHINGTON 

Republican Rep. Buddy Carter introduced a bill Tuesday authorizing President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland and rename it "Red, White, and Blueland."

"America is back and will soon be bigger than ever with the addition of Red, White, and Blueland," Carter, who represents the state of Georgia, said in a statement.

"President Trump has correctly identified the purchase of what is now Greenland as a national security priority, and we will proudly welcome its people to join the freest nation to ever exist when our Negotiator-in-Chief inks this monumental deal," he wrote.

Greenland, a territory under Danish sovereignty since 1953, has attracted Trump's interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources. Tensions rose after Trump refused to rule out economic or military action to secure Greenland, claiming that it was critical for "the protection of the free world."

Trump has previously described owning Greenland as an "absolute necessity" for US economic security, likening the acquisition to a "large real estate deal."

The bill must first be assigned to a committee for review before determining if it will advance to the lower chamber for a vote.