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President Donald Trump revealed plans on Friday to reposition two nuclear submarines as tensions rose between him and Russia’s former president over Trump’s increased pressure on Moscow to resolve the conflict with Ukraine.
Following Trump’s announcement of a new deadline for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine in early August, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that this move is a further “step towards war.”
“Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, 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 in a post on Truth Social Friday.
MEDVEDEV WARNS THAT TRUMP’S NEW DEADLINE TO END RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT IS A ‘STEP TOWARDS WAR’
President Donald Trump listens at an event to promote his proposal to improve Americans’ access to their medical records, in the East Room of the White House, July 30, 2025, in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press)
This announcement comes shortly after Trump commended the guided-missile submarine involved in strikes against Iran, which utilized Tomahawk cruise missiles to target key Iranian sites.
“By the way, if anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines,” Trump stated in a Truth Social post. “They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly. So, in addition to our Great Fighter Pilots, thank you to the Captain and Crew!”
The mission against Iranian nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan also involved over 125 U.S. aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
TRUMP ATTACKS IRAN NUCLEAR SITES: ARE OUR TROOPS IN DANGER FROM RETALIATORY STRIKES?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon press briefing room in Washington, June 26, 2025. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Caine did not reveal the name of the submarine involved in the Iran strikes, but confirmed that a “guided-missile submarine” was utilized.
Four of the U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class submarines were converted into guided-missile submarines to support conventional land attacks and Special Operations Forces platforms. These submarines are the Ohio, Florida, Michigan, and Georgia, according to the U.S. Navy.
All U.S. Navy submarines are nuclear-powered, and Trump did not provide further details about the submarines being repositioned amidst escalating tensions with Russia. It is highly unusual for defense officials to disclose information about the locations of submarines due to the classified nature of their deployments and movements.
Trump initially announced on July 14 that he would impose “severe tariffs” on Russia if Moscow failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. However, Trump stated on Monday that waiting for that period was futile as negotiations had been dragging on for months.
“I’m going to set a new deadline, of about 10 — 10 or 12 days from today,” Trump informed reporters in Scotland Monday. “There’s no reason for waiting. It was 50 days. I wanted to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made.”
RUSSIAN LEADER CLAIMS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES PREPPED TO PROVIDE IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOLLOWING US STRIKES
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Monday President Donald Trump’s attempts to push Russia to the negotiating table amount to a “step towards war.” (Left: Contributor/Getty Images; Right: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
In response, Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, accused Trump of playing the “ultimatum game.”
“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10 … He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,” Medvedev stated in a post on X on Monday.
Trump’s new deadline comes amid increased frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the lack of progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and shortly after Russia conducted a series of military strikes into Ukraine.
