On August 1, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of two nuclear submarines to unspecified “appropriate regions” in response to “highly provocative statements” by Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Trump’s decision, shared via Truth Social, followed Medvedev’s remarks referencing Russia’s Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities, including the “Dead Hand” system, after Trump issued a 10-day ultimatum for Russia to agree to a Ukraine ceasefire or face sanctions. Trump emphasized the importance of words to avoid “unintended consequences,” without clarifying if the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed or specifying their locations, which remain classified. The move escalates tensions amid Trump’s frustration with Russia’s lack of progress toward peace in Ukraine, where Russia launched 6,443 drones in July 2025. Medvedev’s taunts, including mocking Trump’s rhetoric, prompted this public display of U.S. military posturing, the first such action since Trump’s return to office.
