WASHINGTON D.C., United States — U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered two nuclear submarines to “be positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to what he called “highly provocative” comments from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump linked his decision directly to Medvedev’s remarks. “Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions.”
Trump further elaborated on his reasoning, saying he acted “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
The president did not specify whether the vessels were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, nor did he disclose their location, adhering to standard U.S. military protocol.
The move comes amid a series of escalating personal and political exchanges between the two men on social media.
Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012, has recently issued threats against the U.S. in response to Trump’s ultimatums to current Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters later on Friday, Trump reaffirmed his position, stating: “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate. So I have to be very careful.” He added, “I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia. And we’re going to protect our people.”
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Medvedev has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s deadlines for ending the conflict, which include a “10 or 12” day ultimatum set on Monday and a new deadline of August 8.
In a post on X, Medvedev described each new ultimatum as “a threat and a step towards war.” He also recently warned of a “dead hand” threat on Telegram, which military analysts believe references Russia’s nuclear retaliatory control system.
The personal insults have also been part of the exchange, with Trump on Thursday calling Medvedev “the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he’s still president” and warning him to “watch his words” as “he’s entering very dangerous territory!”
In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s statements, Moscow’s stock market experienced a sharp decline. As of now, the Kremlin has made no public comments on the issue.
