U.S. President Donald Trump, in response to the "militant rhetoric" of Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, ordered the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines to "relevant areas" as a military precaution.
Trump announced the decision via a social media statement, saying he took Medvedev’s “provocative” threats against the U.S. seriously. According to Trump, Medvedev’s reference to the Soviet-era “last-resort nuclear strike capability” cannot be ignored.
“Words matter. They often lead to unexpected consequences. I hope this is not one of those cases,” Trump said in his social media post.
The U.S. Department of Defense and the Navy declined to comment on Trump’s statement or provide information on submarine movements. Military experts note that such submarine deployments are always classified, and their strategic role is based on nuclear deterrence capabilities.
Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, commenting on Trump’s statement, said:
“U.S. nuclear submarines, as part of the nuclear triad, are always in a state of combat readiness. There is no need for separate movement.”
The mention of nuclear weapons and their inclusion in political statements has raised concerns among many security experts. Arms control expert Daryl Kimball called the situation “irresponsible and inappropriate”:
“No leader, especially through social media, should issue threats involving nuclear war.”
Former Pentagon official and current McCain Institute Director Evelyn Farkas assessed Trump’s move not as serious military escalation, but as a “political signal”:
“These statements will not push Russia to change its position on Ukraine. On the contrary, they may strengthen their internal rhetoric.”
The recent social media exchanges between Trump and Medvedev occurred amid the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. Trump called on Moscow to reach a ceasefire agreement within 10 days (by August 8), otherwise threatening increased economic pressure and tariffs.
The Kremlin has not responded yet. On August 1, President Vladimir Putin said Russia “wants peace talks” but emphasized that the current military situation on the front favors Russia.
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