US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he ordered the repositioning of American nuclear submarines closer to Russian territory.
The move came in response to recent threats made by Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council.
Speaking in an interview with the American channel Newsmax, Trump said Medvedev has a “sharp tongue” and should not have made such remarks. When asked directly whether the submarines had approached Russia, the president replied, “They approached Russia. Yes, they approached Russia,” he wrote.
Trump also reaffirmed that the United States will proceed with sanctions against Moscow in the event of no peace agreement in the Ukrainian war.
On August 1, he posted on Truth Social that he had ordered the relocation of two nuclear submarines in case Medvedev’s comments were “more than just words.”
Medvedev had earlier referenced the Soviet-era “Dead Hand” automatic nuclear strike system and warned Trump to “remember your favorite movies about the walking dead.”
Ultimatums, Tariffs, and Escalating Rhetoric
Earlier in the week, Trump said the US would impose tariffs and other measures against Russia within 10 days unless Moscow showed tangible progress toward ending the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev responded by accusing Trump of “playing a game of ultimatums with Russia,” calling each new demand a step toward war—not only with Ukraine but also with “his own country.”
Trump countered by telling Medvedev to “watch his words,” warning that the Russian official was “going too far.”
