Why Trump's public order to reposition nuclear submarines near Russia is concerning

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US President Donald Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to 'appropriate regions' after a fiery exchange with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, raising eyebrows worldwide. While experts stress this is more of a signal than a military move, Trump's decision to publicise submarine positioning marks a rare escalation in rhetoric with Moscow read more
US President Donald Trump looks on as a member of the media raises their hand, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, August 1, 2025. File Image/Reuters
United States President Donald Trump on Friday revealed that he had directed two American nuclear submarines to be relocated to what he described as 'the appropriate regions.'
His announcement followed a volatile exchange with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, 'Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev … 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.'
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He added, 'Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.'
Later in the day, Trump doubled down on his decision during an interaction with reporters, stating, 'A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we're going to protect our people.'
In an interview with Newsmax, he offered further reasoning, saying, 'We always want to be ready, and so I have sent to the region two nuclear submarines. I just want to make sure that his words are only words and nothing more than that.'
The Pentagon and the US Navy, however, remained silent on the development, highlighting how rare it is for a sitting US president to publicly disclose or even allude to the positioning of nuclear-capable submarines, an issue typically kept behind numerous classified protocols.
Why Medvedev's remarks triggered Trump
The chain of events began days earlier, when Trump issued a blunt ultimatum to Moscow: agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine within ten days or face sweeping tariffs.
The warning was the latest in Trump's already hardening stance on the conflict, which has dragged on for more than three years since Russia's invasion in 2022.
Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, responded with a post that bristled with mockery and menace.
He wrote that Trump's series of ultimatums represented 'a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!'
Dmitry Medvedev is a former President as well as Prime Minister of Russia. File Image/Reuters
The post referenced 'Sleepy Joe,' a nickname Trump has long used to deride his predecessor Joe Biden. By comparing Trump's ultimatum to Biden's policies and warning of potential war, Medvedev appeared to deliberately provoke a reaction.
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In another statement, he made reference to Russia's Cold War-era automatic nuclear retaliation capabilities — a statement that escalated the online confrontation and set off alarms in Washington.
Trump, who has increasingly voiced anger toward Russia in recent months, snapped back and told Medvedev to 'watch his words,' accusing Moscow of carrying out 'disgusting' attacks on Ukraine and warning of additional sanctions.
In one message, he wrote: 'This is Biden's War, not 'TRUMP's.' I'm just here to see if I can stop it!'
Though Medvedev is widely seen as a political figurehead with little direct control over Russia's nuclear arsenal, his language has often been combative and is viewed by many Western officials as reflecting the Kremlin's ideological posture.
Some US officials quietly downplayed the seriousness of Medvedev's comments, saying they were not treated as an imminent nuclear threat.
But for Trump, the exchange became personal — and public.
What submarines did Trump mean
One of the biggest questions following Trump's announcement was: what exactly did he mean by 'nuclear submarines'?
The United States operates 71 nuclear-powered submarines, which fall into two broad categories: fast-attack submarines and ballistic missile submarines.
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The latter — the Ohio-class fleet — forms one of the three pillars of America's nuclear 'triad,' alongside land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and strategic bombers.
The US has 14 Ohio-class submarines, each able to carry up to 24 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. These missiles are capable of delivering multiple thermonuclear warheads to targets up to 4,600 miles (7,400 km) away.
At any given moment, between 8 and 10 of these subs are on patrol in undisclosed locations across the globe, maintaining a constant state of readiness.
Experts note that such submarines do not need to be 'moved into position' to strike potential targets, because their range covers vast swaths of the planet.
Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists highlighted this point, saying: 'The subs are always there all the time and don't need to be moved into position. He grants Medvedev a response to these crazy statements.'
It remains unclear whether Trump was referring to these nuclear-armed Ohio-class subs or to other nuclear-powered attack submarines, which are not armed with nuclear weapons but can carry conventional missiles and conduct surveillance, intelligence, and anti-ship operations.
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Meanwhile, Russia boasts around 64 vessels in its submarine fleet of which more than half of them are reportedly nuclear-powered.
This includes 11 nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, 14 nuclear-powered attack submarines, and 16 ballistic missile submarines, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
Why this is unusual by a US president
While the US military regularly shifts its submarine deployments, it almost never advertises those movements.
In fact, the operational secrecy of ballistic missile submarines is a foundational element of US nuclear deterrence strategy — their undetected presence is meant to assure adversaries that any nuclear strike on the United States would be met with devastating retaliation.
That is what made Trump's announcement so unusual.
By publicly declaring the submarine repositioning, he effectively turned a normally silent act of military deterrence into a loud political signal. Analysts say this appears to be part of Trump's well-known style of performative strength — responding visibly when provoked.
Security expert explained the move by saying that the submarines were likely already where they need to be, but announcing their movement amplifies the signal to Moscow.
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Trump's decision to go public also fits a broader pattern. In December 2016, weeks before his first inauguration, Trump had posted on Twitter that the US 'must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability.'
That statement triggered fears of a potential arms race, even though the number of US nuclear warheads has largely remained stable in recent decades, shrinking from Cold War highs through arms control agreements.
Why Trump publicly mentioned the nuclear submarines
Trump's relationship with Russia and its leadership has long been a matter of intense debate.
In his first term, he frequently boasted about his rapport with President Vladimir Putin, portraying himself as a dealmaker who could manage the bilateral relationship better than his predecessors.
But his recent language suggests a turn toward frustration and confrontation. In recent weeks, Trump has blasted Russia's military actions in Ukraine, describing them as 'disgusting' and accusing Putin of talking 'bullshit.'
He has also threatened secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian energy — explicitly mentioning India — and warned that buyers of Russian oil could face economic penalties.
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At the same time, he has pursued aggressive tariff policies, declaring, 'They can take their dead economies down together.'
Although Medvedev was the immediate target of his submarine remarks, many observers believe the real message was aimed at Putin. Trump has become more critical of the Kremlin while still appearing to believe he retains a personal channel with the Russian president.
Experts weigh in: signalling, not immediate conflict
Despite the fiery language and the alarming subject matter — nuclear weapons — most security analysts say Trump's announcement is not evidence of imminent military escalation.
Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute and a former senior Pentagon official, argued that this move was mostly about messaging rather than preparing for a nuclear clash.
'It's really signalling. It's not the beginning of some nuclear confrontation and nobody reads it as such. And I would imagine the Russians don't either,' she told Reuters.
At the same time, there are concerns about the potential consequences of such rhetoric.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, condemned the tone of the exchange, stating: 'This is irresponsible and inadvisable. No leader or deputy leader should be threatening nuclear war, let alone in a juvenile manner on social media.'
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Other analysts warn that Trump could be stepping into what they call a 'commitment trap,' in which strong words create an expectation that he will follow through with increasingly forceful actions if tensions escalate further.
What next for Trump, Ukraine and Putin
Trump's submarine declaration did not happen in isolation. It is part of a broader strategy — or at least a series of moves — to pressure Moscow into ending the war in Ukraine.
On July 29, Trump had given Russia a ten-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face punishing tariffs. The deadline expires on August 8, and Moscow has shown no signs of complying.
Putin has instead reiterated that the 'momentum of the war' favours Russia, while saying he remains open to 'peace talks,' a statement that has not been accompanied by any real concessions.
Supporters may see this as a show of decisiveness and resolve, especially toward a Russia that has frequently used its own nuclear rhetoric to intimidate.
Critics, however, argue that publicising such decisions undermines the quiet deterrence posture that the US has cultivated for decades — and raises unnecessary fears of a nuclear standoff.
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With inputs from agencies