IRIA News

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U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two nuclear-powered submarines in response to what he called “highly provocative statements” by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, as the two leaders ramp up their war of words over nuclear threats and the Ukraine conflict.

Trump announced on Friday via Truth Social, indicating that the move was precautionary considering Medvedev’s recent remarks about Russia’s nuclear capabilities, including references to the Cold War-era “Dead Hand” automatic retaliation system.

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote. “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

Trump’s statement comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Moscow, with increasingly personal exchanges between the U.S. president and Medvedev, a former Russian president now considered one of the most hawkish voices within the Kremlin.

Rising personal tensions

While President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin once boasted of a cordial relationship, Trump’s recent rhetoric has shifted sharply in tone. His public animosity has instead become directed at Medvedev, who held the Russian presidency from 2008 to 2012 and later served as prime minister under Putin until 2020.

Medvedev, known for his aggressive foreign policy stance and unapologetic support for Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, has increasingly targeted Trump in his public communications. This week, Medvedev warned that Trump was “entering very dangerous territory” by taunting Russia and underestimating its nuclear doctrine.

“Let Trump remember how dangerous the fabled ‘Dead Hand’ can be,” Medvedev said, referring to Russia’s automatic nuclear retaliation system developed during the Cold War.

The comments struck a nerve in Washington, prompting Trump to authorize the submarine repositioning and publicly rebuke Medvedev. “Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words,” Trump posted earlier in the week. “He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

The Kremlin has yet to issue a formal response to Trump’s announcement about the nuclear submarines, and Russian state media has remained focused on Moscow’s military operations in eastern Ukraine.

Nuclear messaging and strategic posturing

The United States Navy does not disclose the operational status or location of its nuclear submarines. However, Trump’s decision to comment on their movement signals a deliberate act of nuclear messaging, a calculated show of strength meant to deter further escalation from Moscow.

“Nuclear submarines are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built,” Trump said in a previous post on June 23. “They are far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack.”

This statement came after Trump accused Medvedev of floating the idea of supplying nuclear warheads to Iran, a claim that could not be independently verified but which the White House said was being taken seriously.

“Trump is using submarine repositioning as a pressure valve and as a message, both to Russia and to domestic audiences,” a senior U.S. official told reporters off-record. “He’s showing that his administration takes nuclear rhetoric seriously but is also prepared to respond in kind.”

“Strategic deterrence depends on credibility,” said a former Pentagon official. “It’s not just about moving submarines; it’s about managing perceptions, allies, and escalation risks.”

Medvedev responds with mockery

In response to Trump’s latest remarks, Medvedev appeared to double down on his provocations. On Telegram, he ridiculed Trump’s “nervous reaction” and compared the situation to the American television series The Walking Dead.

“If some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the high-and-mighty president of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right and will continue to proceed along its path,” Medvedev posted.

He added: “As for the ‘dead economy’ of India and Russia and ‘entering dangerous territory’, well, let Trump remember his favorite films about the ‘Walking Dead’.” The barbed comment came after Trump had criticized India for continuing trade with Russia and described their economic prospects as “dead economies.”

“I do not care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together,” Trump said in an earlier post. “Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let us keep it that way.”

Stalemate over Ukraine

The bitter exchanges between Trump and Medvedev reflect deeper frustrations over the ongoing war in Ukraine, now well into its third year.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided billions of dollars in military aid to Kyiv. Yet Trump has grown increasingly vocal about the lack of progress toward a negotiated peace.

Earlier in his second term, Trump’s attempts to position himself as a peacemaker between Kyiv and Moscow were met with criticism. He infamously accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of authoritarian tendencies and was criticized by lawmakers for appearing to suggest that Ukraine might need to cede some of its territory.

In one Oval Office meeting last year, Trump told Zelenskyy, “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” suggesting that the Russian leader would not have dared escalate the conflict under his watch.

But more recently, Trump has taken a harsher tone. On July 28, he issued a public ultimatum: Russia had “10 or 12 days” to halt its military operations or face a new round of economic sanctions.

The Kremlin appeared unfazed by the warning. On Thursday, as Russian missiles targeted Ukrainian cities, Trump condemned the attacks as “disgusting.” He told reporters, “Russia — I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting.”

Global reactions and risks

Foreign policy analysts warn that the personal feud between Trump and Medvedev may have global ramifications. Though Medvedev holds no formal military command, he wields considerable influence within the Russian security apparatus and is seen as a conduit for more hardline messaging from the Kremlin.

“Medvedev is essentially Putin’s bad cop,” said a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow. “His statements serve both to test Western responses and to rally domestic support in Russia. But when Trump responds so publicly, he risks elevating Medvedev’s status and stoking more tension.”

European officials have urged restraint, warning that rhetorical brinkmanship could misfire in unpredictable ways. “Nuclear weapons are not instruments of diplomacy,” said a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry. “We hope both Washington and Moscow will return to responsible messaging before words escalate into something worse.”

China, which maintains strategic partnership with Russia, has remained largely silent on the spat but reiterated its position that “all parties should avoid actions that increase instability.”