President Donald Trump has stated that he ordered the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines in reaction to what he called an ‘inappropriate threat’ by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The decision was framed as a necessary step to ensure the safety of American citizens, with Trump emphasizing the importance of being ‘totally prepared’ for any potential confrontation.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump explained his alleged order to deploy two nuclear submarines closer to Russian waters, saying the move was necessary to ensure national security. ‘Well, we had to do that. We just have to be careful. A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate,’ Trump said. ‘So I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we’re going to protect our people.’
Trump’s comments come following a verbal exchange with Medvedev, who accused Trump of making ‘foolish and inflammatory’ remarks and cautioned against provoking Moscow. Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, referenced the Soviet-era ‘Perimetr’ automatic nuclear retaliation system, which is believed to still exist and serves as a last-resort deterrent. ‘And about India’s and Russia’s ‘dead economies’ and ‘entering very dangerous territory’ – well, let him remember his favorite movies about ‘the walking dead,’ as well as how dangerous the fabled ‘Dead Hand’ can be,’ Medvedev wrote.
Though Russia has never officially confirmed the existence of the system, it is widely believed by Western analysts to serve as a last-resort deterrent in the event of a decapitating strike on the Russian leadership. The White House and the Pentagon have not provided any further comments, and Trump’s claim about the submarine redeployment remains impossible to verify, since the exact locations and patrol areas of U.S. nuclear submarines are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets.