President Trump deploys submarines after daunting exchange with Russia’s Medvedev

In a sharp escalation of tensions between the United States and Russia, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines into “appropriate regions,” describing the move as a precaution against what he called Russian provocations.

Trump said the decision followed “highly provocative statements” from former Russian President and current Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev concerning US sanctions and threats over the Ukraine conflict.

Trump referred to Medvedev as “the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President,” and warned he was entering “dangerous territory.”

He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he hoped Medvedev’s statements would remain rhetorical, emphasizing that “words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences."

Medvedev had taken to Telegram to critique a recent ultimatum from Trump that shortened the timeline for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire—from 50 days to just 10.

He declared that such ultimatums are themselves threats and “a step towards war,” referencing Russia’s Cold War–era “Dead Hand” nuclear response system.

In response, Medvedev dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as a sign that Russia was on the right path: “If some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction… then Russia is doing everything right,” he wrote.

Trump’s public announcement is unusual given that submarine deployments are typically classified. Officials did not specify whether the submarines are nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered, nor disclosed their exact deployment locations.

But observers note that such statements often serve as geopolitical signaling rather than operational change. Russian leaders like President Vladimir Putin also recently spoke of advancing hypersonic missile deployments, raising further concern over escalating nuclear posturing.

This standoff comes amid high-stakes diplomacy over the Russia–Ukraine war. Trump has maintained a hard line, warning new sanctions—including tariffs on countries buying Russian energy—if Moscow fails to show progress. Meanwhile, Medvedev's provocations reflect a hardening diplomatic posture, despite his limited official policymaking authority relative to Putin.

While critics characterize the exchange as theatrical saber-rattling, the public nature of the statement underscores rising instability in US–Russia relations and hints at renewed Cold War–style brinkmanship over nuclear deterrence.