WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that he has ordered the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines in response to what he called "highly provocative statements" from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about Russia's nuclear capabilities.
“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, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump added, "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
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Tension between the U.S. and Russia has escalated this week as Trump and Medvedev have exchanged threatening statements.
Trump doubled down on the move later in the day, telling reporters as he departed the White House that he had ordered the submarines as a safety precaution.
"Well, we had to do that. We just have to be careful. And a threat was made and we didn't think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful. So I do that on the basis of safety for our people," Trump said when asked about the deployment. "A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we're going to protect our people."
The Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the remark on Friday.
In another post Friday, Trump spoke about the Russian and Ukrainian death tolls during their conflict and reiterated that it's a war "that should have never happened — This is Biden’s War, not 'TRUMP’s.' I’m just here to see if I can stop it!”
The president's pointed comment at Medvedev appeared to be in response to the Russian official's Telegram post on Thursday in which he wrote that Trump should "revisit his favorite movies about the living dead and recall just how dangerous the mythical 'Dead Hand' can be." Russia's so-called Dead Hand system is a secret automatic or semiautomatic nuclear weapons control system developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Medvedev's post seemed to respond to a Trump Truth Social post earlier in the day that said he doesn't care if India and Russia "take their dead economies down together."
"Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!" Trump wrote.
The president said during his trip to Scotland earlier this week that he was reducing his 50-day deadline for Russia to make moves toward trying to end its war with Ukraine down to a new deadline of 10 or 12 days.
“We just don’t see any progress being made," Trump told reporters. The president has also threatened more sanctions or tariffs targeting Russia's economy and said that he was sending special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia after his trip this week to Israel.
Responding to Trump's new deadline, Medvedev wrote in a post on X that Trump is playing an "ultimatum game" with Russia.
"Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!" Medvedev said.
