WWIII

Trump directs deployment of two nuclear submarines to 'appropriate regions' as war of words with Russia escalates

1/08/2025, Friday




'Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,' says US president

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has directed the deployment of two US nuclear submarines to "the appropriate regions" amid an escalating war of words with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

"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," he said on social media.

"Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances," he added.

Medvedev lashed out at Trump on Monday, warning that Trump’s escalating pressure on the Kremlin over the war in Ukraine risks triggering a broader conflict, not just between Russia and Ukraine, but between Russia and the US.

"50 days or 10…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. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!" Medvedev said on X.

The former Russian president stepped up his warnings in a separate Telegram post, raising the specter of the Soviet Union's Cold War "Dead Hand" system, which automated nuclear strikes if the Soviet leadership was incapacitated.

The system is said to still be operational.

Trump vs. Medvedev: When talking tough is plain turkey

Exchanging nuclear threats like this is pure theater and we should not be applauding

Analysis | QiOSKqiosk
Anatol Lieven
Aug 01, 2025
RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT


President Donald Trump ordered U.S. nuclear submarines to be positioned in “the appropriate regions” after former Russian President Dimitri Medvedev reminded Trump of Moscow’s nuclear capabilities ad told him to watch the apocalyptic series “The Walking Dead.”

The war of words started over Trump’s threats to impose sanctions if Russia doesn’t comply with ceasefire in 10 days.

Both Medvedev's remarks and Trump's response are pure theatrics. Having refrained from the use of nuclear weapons over the past three years, Russia is obviously not going to launch them in response to a new round of U.S. sanctions — especially since it has successfully overcome several previous rounds.

Trump is right to ask of his new sanctions, "I don't know if sanctions bother him (Putin)." This almost amounts to admitting that the new sanctions are pointless in terms of putting pressure on Russia and are really intended to defend Trump against domestic criticism.

Trump's announced — or alleged — "deployment" of U.S. nuclear submarines is also completely empty. The U.S. has nuclear submarines capable of striking Russia on permanent deployment.

Medvedev and Trump are both trying to look tough for domestic audiences. The rest of us are not however required to applaud this theatre. At the same time, Trump is right to say that words matter, and there should be no place for empty theatrics in a matter as serious as the threat of nuclear war. President Putin should silence his increasingly erratic and provocative subordinate. Trump should take heed of his own words and moderate his own often overblown language and threats.

Putin for his part is correct to say that "in order to approach the issue (and end to the Ukraine war) peacefully, we need to have detailed conversations, and not in public." This would require the Trump administration to prepare a detailed plan for peace and develop a confidential "back channel" through which to present it to the Russian government.

However, if such confidential discussions were to have any chance of success, it would also be necessary for the Russian government greatly to moderate its present conditions for a peace settlement.


Anatol Lieven
Anatol Lieven is Director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He was formerly a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar and in the War Studies Department of King’s College London.

The views expressed by authors on Responsible Statecraft do not necessarily reflect those of the Quincy Institute or its associates.