Trump Orders Nuclear Submarine Deployment Amid Escalating War of Words with Russia
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of two nuclear-armed submarines in a sharp escalation of a heated exchange with senior Russian officials over Ukraine and trade tariffs.
The move, announced Friday on Trump’s Truth Social platform, marks a rare public disclosure of US nuclear force movements — and signals a significant hardening of Washington’s posture toward Moscow.
Trump’s decision follows several days of online sparring with Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
“Based on the highly provocative statements,” Trump wrote, “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.”
“Words are very important and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances,” the 79-year-old Republican added.
The nuclear sabre-rattling comes as Trump’s self-imposed deadline looms for Moscow to take steps toward ending its war in Ukraine. The US president has threatened unspecified new sanctions if Russia fails to comply by the end of next week.
On the ground, however, Russia’s military campaign remains relentless. An AFP analysis revealed that July saw a record number of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine. Since June, hundreds of civilians have been killed, including 31 — among them five children — in a missile and drone strike on Kyiv early Thursday.
Putin, speaking Friday, reiterated that Moscow seeks “peace” but insisted his conditions for ending the nearly three-and-a-half-year invasion remain unchanged — including Ukraine relinquishing occupied territories and abandoning its NATO ambitions.
The high-profile nuclear deployment is expected to intensify tensions between Washington and Moscow, raising fears among analysts that the war of words could spill into broader military confrontation.
