Andrew Juma, DigitalWorldwideNews.com, Washington, D.C.
August 2, 2025
President Trump ordered two nuclear submarines repositioned after provocative remarks by Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, but Moscow’s silence raises questions.
On August 1, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he ordered two nuclear submarines to be “positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to “highly provocative” statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The move, prompted by Medvedev’s reference to Russia’s “Dead Hand” nuclear system, has not elicited an official response from Moscow, raising speculation about Russia’s next steps.
Trump’s order followed a social media spat with Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, who on July 30 called Trump’s 10-day ultimatum for a Ukraine ceasefire a “step towards war.” Medvedev referenced “Dead Hand,” a Soviet-era system for automatic nuclear retaliation, prompting Trump to warn him to “watch his words” and deploy the submarines as a precaution. Trump told reporters, “A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we’re going to protect our people,” without clarifying if the submarines were nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered.
The Kremlin, Foreign Ministry, and Defense Ministry have not commented, a stark contrast to their usual rhetoric, per BBC’s Steve Rosenberg. Russian media, like Moskovsky Komsomolets, dismissed Trump’s move as a “temper tantrum,” with a retired lieutenant-general calling it “meaningless blather.” Moscow’s stock market fell sharply, suggesting unease, but no Russian submarine movements were reported. Analysts, per Kommersant, suggest Moscow is either assessing the situation or sees no need to escalate, given U.S. submarines’ constant presence.
Security analysts view Trump’s move as rhetorical rather than military, given the U.S.’s 8–10 Ohio-class submarines already deployed, per the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Evelyn Farkas of the McCain Institute told Reuters it’s “signaling,” not a path to nuclear conflict. However, Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association called it “irresponsible,” warning against nuclear saber-rattling. Europe, reeling from Trump’s tariffs, expressed concern via Germany’s Christian Lindner about U.S.-Russia tensions, per Reuters. X posts reflect alarm, with @ukNukeShelters claiming Russia “exploded” at Trump, though official silence persists.
In the U.S., Trump’s unpredictability is a cultural hallmark, seen in his 2018 North Korea nuclear threats that led to diplomacy, per The New York Times. Russia’s silence aligns with its post-Cold War strategy of calculated restraint, as seen in 2017 when it ignored Trump’s Korean Peninsula submarine claims, per Kommersant. Medvedev’s hawkish shift since 2012, noted by BBC, contrasts with his earlier liberal image, reflecting Russia’s cultural pivot to anti-Western rhetoric post-Ukraine invasion. The “Dead Hand” reference evokes Cold War fears, recalling the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, though analysts doubt a repeat.
Trump’s move follows his July 28 ultimatum for Russia to cease hostilities in Ukraine by August 8 or face sanctions, a shift from his earlier warmth toward Putin, per Al Jazeera. Russia’s July 31 Kyiv attack, killing 31, defied this, prompting Zelenskyy’s sanctions push. Medvedev’s taunts, calling Trump’s deadlines “theatrical,” escalated tensions. Putin’s Friday statement about wanting a “stable peace” but offering no concessions suggests defiance, per The Guardian. The submarine deployment may be Trump’s attempt to regain leverage, per Politico.
Moscow’s silence could signal strategic restraint or a wait-and-see approach, per BBC. Trump’s history suggests the deployment may precede diplomacy, as with North Korea in 2018, but his hardened stance—evidenced by sanctions threats—complicates U.S.-Russia talks. The Pentagon’s secrecy on submarine movements, per ABC News, maintains ambiguity, while NATO’s Mark Rutte urged more Ukraine aid, per Newsweek. If Russia escalates, as hinted by @wherepond on X, tensions could spike, but analysts like Farkas predict de-escalation unless Putin responds militarily.
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