TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In a warning to Russia, President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has ordered the redeployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines, "based on the highly provocative statements" from the country's former president, Dmitry Medvedev. He accused Medvedev of raising the prospect of war online.
Trump posted on his social media site, as reported by Arab News, that, based on "highly provocative statements" from 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."
He added, "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances."
It is unclear what impact Trump's order of the U.S. nuclear submarines, which routinely patrol vulnerable points around the world, will have. However, the order comes at a critical time in the Trump administration's relationship with Moscow.
Trump said that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to urge Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine. Trump threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made. He shortened the deadline from 50 days to 10 days, with the deadline set to end next week.
The post about repositioning the submarines came after Trump, early Thursday, posted that Medvedev is a "failed former President of Russia." He warned him to "watch his words." A few hours later, Medvedev responded by writing, "Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way."
And the debate started earlier this week when Medvedev 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 toward war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country."
On Friday night, as he was leaving the White House to spend the weekend at his New Jersey residence, Trump was asked where he would move the submarines. He did not provide any details.
"We had to do that. We just have to be careful," he said. "A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful."
Trump also said, "I do that on the basis of safety for our people," and "we’re gonna protect our people." He then added about Medvedev, "He was talking about nuclear." "When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared," Trump said. "And we’re totally prepared."
Medvedev served as president of Russia from 2008 to 2012, when Vladimir Putin was banned from running for a third consecutive term. Putin then resigned so he could run again.
Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairperson of Russia's Security Council, chaired by Putin, has been known for his provocative and confrontational statements since the start of the war in 2022. The statements mark a departure from his presidency, which was seen as liberal and progressive.
Medvedev often makes nuclear threats and derides Western leaders on social media. Some observers argue that with his overblown rhetoric, Medvedev is vying for political points in the eyes of Putin and Russian military leaders.
One example before the recent dispute with Trump occurred on July 15, after Trump announced plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons through its NATO allies and threatened additional tariffs against Moscow.
Medvedev then posted, "Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care."
Medvedev on Thursday said Trump must remember that Moscow has Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities as a last resort, after Trump told Medvedev to "watch his words."
President Putin said on Friday that Moscow hopes for more peaceful negotiations with Ukraine, but the momentum of the war benefits Russia. He did not mention the deadline.
Trump, who had previously boasted a good relationship with Putin, has expressed increasing frustration with the Russian leader. Trump accused Putin of "bullshit" and called the recent Russian attacks on Ukraine sickening.
Medvedev has emerged as one of the most vocal hardline anti-Western figures in the Kremlin since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in 2022. Although some Western diplomats say his statements reflect the thinking of senior Kremlin policymakers, Kremlin critics mock him as irresponsible and unreliable.
Trump also reprimanded Medvedev in July, accusing him of uttering the word "N (nuclear)." This came after the Russian official criticized the U.S.'s attack on Iran and said "a number of countries" are ready to supply nuclear warheads to Iran. "I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS’," Trump said at the time.
The U.S. president took office in January after promising to end the war in Ukraine on his First Day, but has failed to make Moscow agree to a ceasefire. Only six countries operate nuclear-powered submarines: the U.S., UK, Russia, China, France, and India.
The U.S. Navy has a total of 71 commissioned submarines, 53 of which are fast attack submarines, 14 ballistic missile submarines, and four guided-missile submarines. All are nuclear-powered, but only a few carry nuclear warhead missiles.
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