Russia is facing an August 8 deadline from Trump to build peace with Ukraine or to face economic consequences such as secondary tariffs and sanctions.
Trump says he’s sending nuclear submarines after Russia references the nuclear system
President Donald Trump says he is sending two US nuclear submarines to relocate after Dmitry Medvedev referenced the Soviet-era “dead hand” system.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said the nuclear submarines he said are deploying in response to threatening comments from the former Russian president “are in the area.” Trump also showed he was preparing to strike Moscow with economic sanctions over the war with Ukraine.
“I’ve already made a statement. The answer is that they’re in the area,” Trump told reporters traveling with him in New Jersey before he boards Air Force 1.
On August 1, Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to “appropriate areas.” Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev referenced the capabilities of the Soviet era of nuclear strikes in a social media post that raised tensions with US leaders.
The conflict came from Trump’s ultimatum last month: settle with Ukraine or braces for sanctions and secondary tariffs aimed at suffocating the country’s oil revenues. He gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a 50-day deadline, which he later revised until August 8th.
The president told reporters on August 3 that if the deadline arrives and Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, there will be “sanctions.”
“But they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” he added. “You know, they’re wi characters. …So we’ll see what happens.”
Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkov was expected to visit Russia before the deadline, but the president signaled reporters that no travel had been made.
He said Witkov is currently focused on dealing with starvation in Gaza, but could go to Russia later in the week.
The president emphasized the need for a deal in Ukraine to stop people being killed.
“And now we’re adding a town where they’re being hit by missiles,” Trump said.
Medvedev serves as Vice President of the Russian Security Council. He said in a post on X on July 28th that Trump should remember, “Each of which is a new ultimate is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but between his country.”
Trump said, “When I saw his words to Medvedev, the failed former Russian president who still thinks he is president, he is in a very dangerous territory!”
In a post on the messaging app Telegram, where Medvedev referenced the Soviet Union’s end-of-pocket nuclear system, the US president said he should remember “how dangerous a dead hand is,” and the US president said he would relocate the submarines.
Calling the comment “very provocative,” Trump said true socially, “just in case these stupid, inflammatory statements are more than that.”
