In a bizarre twist that sounds more like satire than strategy, a social media spat between Donald Trump and Dmitry Medvedev may have led to a nuclear submarine deployment. But is this really the start of a new-age Cold War, or just more political theatre?
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, visibly riled by a string of provocative social media posts from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, claimed in an interview that he had ordered two nuclear submarines to move closer to Russia.
This development raises a dramatic question: Could a war of words online actually tip the world toward nuclear escalation? Are we witnessing a digital-age version of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?
At first glance, this might seem like a real risk. But early reactions from Moscow suggest otherwise.
Russia Shrugs It Off
So far, Russian officials have remained silent. No statements from the Kremlin, the Foreign Ministry, or the Defense Ministry. No mention of any reciprocal military maneuvers. Just... silence.
Russian media, however, has been anything but quiet.
A military commentator speaking to Moskovsky Komsomolets dismissed Trump’s announcement as a “temper tantrum.” Meanwhile, a retired lieutenant-general told Kommersant that Trump’s comments were “meaningless blather,” more about personal amusement than policy.
A Russian security expert added, “I’m sure Trump didn’t really give any orders [about submarines].”
Kommersant even reminded readers that back in 2017, Trump made a similar claim — sending two nuclear submarines toward North Korea. That incident also led nowhere — except to a summit with Kim Jong Un.
So could this latest submarine move actually be a precursor to a U.S.-Russia summit?
Unlikely. But the comparison highlights Trump’s often unpredictable style.
A Social Media War Turns Nuclear
The feud started when Trump shortened his original 50-day deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine to under two weeks. Medvedev responded, accusing Trump of “playing the ultimatum game” — calling each new threat “a step towards war.”
Trump fired back, calling Medvedev “a failed former Russian president who thinks he is still in power” and warned him to be “careful what he says.” He added ominously: “He is entering very dangerous territory.”
Medvedev, in turn, dropped a chilling reference to “Dead Hand” — the Soviet-era automatic nuclear retaliation system.
That last comment appeared to strike a nerve.
From Liberal to Hawkish
Once seen as a more moderate voice in Russian politics — he famously said “freedom is better than no freedom” — Medvedev has shifted hard right since the invasion of Ukraine, becoming known for his fiery anti-Western social media rhetoric.
Until now, most of his posts went ignored in the West. But this time, he caught the attention of the most powerful former U.S. president — and got under his skin.
Why Such an Extreme Reaction?
Most of us have disliked something we’ve read online. Few of us respond by moving nuclear submarines.
So, why did Trump escalate?
Here’s how he explained it in an interview with Newsmax:
“Medvedev said some things that are very bad, talking about nuclear. When you mention the word nuclear my eyes light up and I say we better be careful, because it's the ultimate threat.”
But Medvedev has been rattling the nuclear saber online for years. Why did this post cross the line?
Possibly, it’s personal. Trump is known to take things very personally — especially public insults. But there could also be a strategic layer. Trump’s political style has often relied on unpredictability — lobbing curveballs to knock rivals off balance before negotiations.
Could this be part of a bigger play to pressure Russia over Ukraine?
Time will tell. But for now, it seems Moscow isn’t taking the bait.
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