In a bold and provocative move, US President Donald Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to be strategically positioned in response to alarming remarks by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. As the war in Ukraine rages on, the tit-for-tat rhetoric between Washington and Moscow continues to escalate.
President Donald Trump announced that he has directed two US nuclear submarines to be deployed to "appropriate regions" in reaction to what he called "highly provocative" comments made by Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council.
Trump stated the move was made "just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that," adding, “Words are very important and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
As per military protocol, Trump did not specify where the submarines were being sent. Nor did he clarify whether the vessels were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed.
This response follows threats made by Medvedev after Trump issued ultimatums to Moscow: either agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face severe sanctions. Both the United States and Russia possess the largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons in the world, and each maintains a fleet of nuclear submarines.
In a post on his social platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev... I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions.”
Later, speaking to reporters, Trump elaborated:
“A threat was made, and we didn't think it was appropriate. So I have to be very careful. I do that on the basis of safety for our people.”
The Kremlin has not yet publicly responded. However, Moscow’s stock market dropped sharply following Trump’s announcement—an indication of how seriously markets are reacting to these growing tensions.
Meanwhile, the war of words between Trump and Medvedev continues on social media platforms. Trump recently imposed a new deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine by August 8—an ultimatum the Kremlin has largely ignored. Earlier in July, Trump had threatened severe tariffs on Russian oil and other exports if the conflict wasn't resolved within 50 days.
Medvedev responded by accusing Trump of playing a dangerous “ultimatum game with Russia,” warning on social media that each new deadline is "a step towards war." On Thursday, he issued a chilling reference to Russia’s “dead hand” system—a Cold War-era nuclear retaliation mechanism—interpreted by analysts as a veiled threat of automatic nuclear response.
Trump fired back, calling Medvedev “the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he’s still president,” and warned him to “watch his words,” saying he was “entering very dangerous territory.”
Medvedev, who led Russia from 2008 to 2012, remains a staunch supporter of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and an aggressive critic of the West.
As August 8 looms, global eyes remain fixed on what could be a turning point—or a dangerous escalation—in the already volatile standoff between the world’s top nuclear powers.
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