Trump orders US nuclear subs repositioned over ex-Russian leader’s statements

US President Donald Trump said he is ordering the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines in a warning to Russia.

The move is “based on highly provocative statements” from the country’s former president Dmitry Medvedev.

Mr Trump posted on his social media site that based on the “highly provocative statements” from Mr Medvedev he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that”.

Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instancesUS President Donald Trump

The president added: “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

It was not immediately clear what impact Mr Trump’s order would have on US nuclear subs, which are routinely on patrol in the world’s hotspots, but it comes at a delicate moment in the Trump administration’s relations with Moscow.

Mr Trump has said that special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made.

He cut his 50-day deadline for action to 10 days, with that window set to expire next week.

The post about the sub repositioning came after Mr Trump, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, had posted that Mr Medvedev was a “failed former president of Russia” and warned him to “watch his words”.

Mr Medvedev responded hours later by writing: “Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.”

Asked as he was leaving the White House on Friday evening for a weekend at his estate in New Jersey about where he was repositioning the subs, Mr Trump did not offer any specifics.

“We had to do that. We just have to be careful,” the president said. “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful.”

Mr Trump also said “I do that on the basis of safety for our people” and “we’re gonna protect our people” and later added of Mr Medvedev: “He was talking about nuclear.”

“When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared,” Mr Trump said. “And we’re totally prepared.”

Mr Medvedev was president from 2008 to 2012 while Russian President Vladimir Putin was barred from seeking a second consecutive term but stepped aside to let him run again.

Now deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, which Mr Putin chairs, Mr Medvedev has been known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since the start of the war in 2022, a U-turn from his presidency, when he was seen as liberal and progressive.

He has frequently wielded nuclear threats and lobbed insults at Western leaders on social media.

Some observers have argued that with his extravagant rhetoric, Mr Medvedev is seeking to score political points with Mr Putin and Russian military hawks.

Mr Trump and Mr Medvedev have gotten into online spats before.

On July 15, after Mr Trump announced plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons via its Nato allies and threatened additional tariffs against Moscow, Mr Medvedev posted, “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care”.

Earlier this week, he wrote: “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10″ and added, “He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”