WASHINGTON, U.S. – U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines to undisclosed regions in response to what he called “highly provocative” remarks by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow.
In a statement posted Friday on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the move was precautionary, following Medvedev’s latest threats against the United States.
“Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia… I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions,” Trump wrote, without specifying whether the submarines were nuclear-armed or simply nuclear-powered.
He added: “Words are very important and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
The U.S. military typically keeps the movements of its nuclear fleet classified, and Trump did not disclose the exact location of the submarines.
However, speaking to reporters later Friday, he reinforced his decision: “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate. We’re going to protect our people.”
Medvedev’s Warning and “Dead Hand” Reference
The latest flashpoint follows a week of escalating rhetoric between Trump and Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council.
On Thursday, Medvedev posted a cryptic warning on Telegram alluding to Russia’s “dead hand” — widely believed to refer to the Kremlin’s semi-automated nuclear retaliation system.
That followed his earlier dismissal of Trump’s ceasefire ultimatums as “theatrical,” adding that Russia “didn’t care” about American deadlines.
Medvedev also accused Trump of pushing the world closer to war by playing what he described as “the ultimatum game with Russia.”
Trump’s Deadline and Sanction Threats
The deployment comes just days before Trump’s latest ceasefire deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin expires on August 8.
In recent weeks, Trump has issued a series of ultimatums to Moscow, threatening sweeping economic sanctions—including tariffs on Russian oil exports—if the war in Ukraine is not halted.
Trump had initially given Putin a 50-day window to agree to a ceasefire, later tightening it to “10 or 12 days.” Despite mounting pressure, the Kremlin has shown no sign of complying.
Although Moscow has not publicly responded to Trump’s latest move, the Russian stock market plunged on Friday, signaling nervousness over the U.S. president’s actions.
A Growing Rift and War of Words
The Trump-Medvedev exchange marks a dramatic turn in already strained U.S.-Russia relations.
On Thursday, Trump referred to Medvedev as “the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he’s still president,” and warned him to “watch his words.”
The former Russian leader, who has been a vocal supporter of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022, has become one of the West’s most inflammatory critics on social media.
With U.S. nuclear submarines now on the move and no indication of de-escalation, diplomatic observers warn that the war of words between Trump and Medvedev could further destabilize a fragile global security environment.
