Fern Sidman

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to be repositioned near Russian territorial waters in response to threats made earlier this week by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. The move, reported widely in Washington and confirmed in Trump’s own social media post, underscores the rising tension between Washington and Moscow as the war in Ukraine grinds through its third year

According to a report that appeared on Friday at Reuters, Trump wrote that the decision to deploy the submarines followed a series of “highly provocative” statements made by Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. “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 said. He added, “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

The decision follows several days of increasingly sharp rhetoric between Trump and Medvedev. As Reuters reported, the president warned on Tuesday that Moscow had “10 days from today” to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face sweeping new economic penalties. Trump threatened that if no deal was reached, Russia, along with its oil buyers, would be targeted with tariffs designed to cut deeply into the Kremlin’s export revenues.

Moscow, however, has shown no indication that it intends to comply with what the Kremlin has described as an “ultimatum.” The report at Reuters noted that Russian officials have instead reiterated their own conditions for peace in Ukraine — terms that include Ukrainian neutrality and the recognition of Russian territorial claims.

In response, Medvedev accused Trump of engaging in a “game of ultimatums” and issued his own reminder that Russia maintains nuclear strike capabilities dating back to the Soviet era. His warning, delivered on Monday, came after Trump told him publicly to “watch his words.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Medvedev has emerged as one of the Kremlin’s most vocal and hardline figures. Reuters has frequently described him as an outspoken hawk whose comments range from sharp denunciations of the West to explicit threats of nuclear escalation.

Although Medvedev is sometimes dismissed by Kremlin critics as a “loose cannon,” Western diplomats cited by Reuters note that his remarks often reflect broader currents in Moscow’s policymaking elite. His threats, they argue, are less rhetorical outbursts than indicators of how senior Russian officials frame their standoff with the United States and its allies.

Trump’s response to Medvedev’s latest warning marks one of the most direct demonstrations of U.S. military readiness since he returned to office. By ordering nuclear submarines to reposition, Trump signaled both to Moscow and to U.S. allies that Washington intends to back its diplomatic demands with the full weight of its strategic arsenal.

The deployment of nuclear-capable submarines is one of the United States’ most potent deterrent signals. The Reuters report highlighted that while the Pentagon rarely confirms the locations of such assets, U.S. presidents have occasionally ordered visible redeployments to send strategic messages during crises. Trump’s post, however, appeared to break with that tradition of ambiguity by publicly acknowledging the order.

Analysts quoted by Reuters warn that such explicit signaling carries risks. By directly tying the submarine movements to Medvedev’s comments, Washington could further inflame tensions, raising the possibility of miscalculation in a conflict that has already drawn in NATO and reshaped the European security order.

The Kremlin has not yet issued an official response to Trump’s announcement, though state media in Moscow has carried Medvedev’s original remarks prominently. Russian officials have consistently maintained that Western military posturing near Russia’s borders will not alter their position on Ukraine.

The latest exchange sheds light on the fragile state of negotiations around the war in Ukraine. The Reuters report noted that while Trump has pressed Moscow with a ceasefire deadline, Russia continues to link any de-escalation to conditions Kyiv has consistently rejected. Ukrainian leaders insist they will not accept territorial concessions, especially regarding Crimea and eastern regions occupied by Russian forces.

Trump’s threat of tariffs, coupled with the submarine deployment, places additional pressure not only on Moscow but also on countries purchasing Russian oil, including some in Asia and the Middle East. Any coordinated Western move to cut into Russia’s energy revenues could significantly alter the economic calculus for the Kremlin, though enforcement of such measures would be complex.

For now, the war of words between Trump and Medvedev highlights the precarious balance of rhetoric and military force shaping the trajectory of the conflict. While Trump insisted that his order was a precaution — “just in case,” he wrote — the decision to publicize the deployment stresses how quickly the standoff between Washington and Moscow can veer into dangerous territory.

As Reuters has reported, the confrontation between Trump and Medvedev illustrates both the volatility of U.S.-Russia relations and the enduring uncertainty surrounding efforts to end the war in Ukraine. With nuclear submarines repositioned and deadlines looming, the risk of escalation remains high, even as both sides trade accusations of recklessness.

Whether Trump’s show of force will compel Moscow to reconsider its stance, or merely deepen the standoff, remains unclear. But for now, his warning stands as one of the most stark reminders yet of how the Ukraine conflict continues to reverberate far beyond the battlefield.