In a dramatic escalation, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of nuclear submarines near Russian waters, responding to recent nuclear threats from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. This marks the first overt military move taken by Trump to deter Russia since his return to the White House.
According to U.S. outlet Axios, the decision comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow. Trump, who had previously accused his predecessor Joe Biden of “leading the world toward World War III” following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, is now issuing his own nuclear posturing in return.
The report states that this deployment precedes a self-imposed deadline Trump gave Russian President Vladimir Putin: either agree to a ceasefire within a week or face a new round of U.S. sanctions.
Medvedev Responds: “Don’t Take Sleepy Joe’s Path”
Though Medvedev now serves as Deputy Chair of Russia’s Security Council, his global relevance today largely stems from his frequent and inflammatory threats against the West. After Trump shortened the ceasefire ultimatum timeline, Medvedev responded by warning that such moves were “a step toward war,” sarcastically adding, “Don’t go down the path of Sleepy Joe!”
Trump fired back on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling Medvedev a “failed former president” and warning him to “choose his words carefully,” as he was “entering dangerous territory.”
Medvedev, in turn, invoked Russia’s “Dead Hand” system—an alleged fully automated nuclear retaliation mechanism designed to launch a counterstrike if Russian leadership is incapacitated. He ridiculed Trump’s reaction, saying:
“If a few words from a former Russian president can provoke such a nervous response from the great President of the United States, then Russia is absolutely right.”
Trump: “Words Matter—and Have Consequences”
In his official post, Trump wrote:
“Given the extremely provocative statements made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as Deputy Chair of the Russian Security Council, I have ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines to appropriate locations, in anticipation that his reckless and inflammatory remarks may escalate further.”
He added:
“Words matter greatly, and they often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those cases.”
Background: The Ongoing Ukraine War
Since February 24, 2022, Russia has been engaged in a full-scale military campaign against neighbouring Ukraine, demanding Kyiv’s withdrawal from Western military alliances as a condition for ending the war—something Ukraine sees as a violation of its sovereignty.
Trump’s latest move represents a new chapter in the evolving confrontation between the U.S. and Russia, one now laced with nuclear brinkmanship. Unlike traditional diplomacy, this exchange between Trump and Medvedev has played out in full public view—through social media taunts, military threats, and mutual warnings of catastrophic escalation.
