What to Know About Trump’s Nuclear Submarine Message to Russia

The president said he ordered two nuclear submarines redeployed in response to ‘provocative statements’ by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The guided-missile submarine USS Ohio arrives at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton to begin a major maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Wash., on April 4, 2017. Jeremy Moore/Released/U.S. Navy

On Aug. 1, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump cut down his deadline for Russia to accept a cease-fire deal with Ukraine, he announced that he had also ordered a pair of U.S. nuclear submarines to be repositioned to respond to a perceived threat by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Detailing the decision in an Aug. 1 Truth Social post, Trump said that Medvedev made “highly provocative statements.” Trump said he ordered the submarine movement “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”