World Desk

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had ordered the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines in response to provocative remarks made online by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who suggested the potential for war.

Posting on his social media platform, Trump said the subs were being moved to “appropriate regions” as a precaution, citing Medvedev’s inflammatory comments. “Words matter and can lead to unintended outcomes,” Trump warned, expressing hope that this situation doesn’t escalate further.

While U.S. nuclear submarines regularly patrol global hotspots, Trump’s directive comes amid fragile U.S.–Russia relations. Later that day, Trump told Newsmax he found Medvedev’s rhetoric concerning, saying, “He’s got a fresh mouth.”

Trump also said his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is en route to Russia to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine and warned that new sanctions could be imposed if no progress is made. Originally giving Moscow 50 days to act, Trump shortened the deadline to 10 days, which expires next week.

The submarine order followed a heated exchange between Trump and Medvedev earlier in the week. Trump had criticized Medvedev online, calling him a “failed former President of Russia” and advising him to “watch his words.” Medvedev replied defiantly, claiming, “Russia is right on everything and will continue its path.”

Medvedev, currently deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, also lashed out over Trump’s ultimatum, saying: “He should remember: Russia is not Israel or Iran. Every new ultimatum is a step closer to war—not just with Ukraine, but with his own country.”

Asked Friday evening where the subs were being moved, Trump declined to give details. “We had to do that. It’s about being cautious,” he said. “He made a threat, and I can’t ignore that. It’s about protecting our people.”

Trump added that the subs were being repositioned “closer to Russia,” emphasizing that the U.S. is “totally prepared” and taking nuclear threats seriously.

Once seen as a reformist during his presidency from 2008 to 2012, Medvedev has become a hardliner since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, often posting hostile and nuclear-tinged rhetoric targeting the West. Analysts believe his aggressive tone may be an attempt to curry favor with President Putin and Russia’s military elite.

Earlier, on July 15, Medvedev mocked Trump’s threats to supply Ukraine with more weapons through NATO and impose new tariffs on Moscow, calling the ultimatum “theatrical” and claiming Russia was unfazed by it.