Trump moves nuclear submarines weeks after praising sub’s power in Iran strikes

President Donald Trump unveiled plans Friday to reposition two nuclear submarines as he and Russia’s former president sparred over Trump’s increased pressure on Moscow to end the war with Ukraine. 

After Trump announced a new deadline for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine in early August, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that the announcement is an additional “step towards war.” 

“Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, 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,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social Friday. 

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The announcement comes just weeks after Trump praised the contributions of a guided-missile submarine involved in the strikes against Iran, which launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at key Iranian targets, officials said. 

“By the way, if anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines,” Trump said June 23 in a Truth Social post. “They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly. So, in addition to our Great Fighter Pilots, thank you to the Captain and Crew!”

The mission, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, also involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. 

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Caine did not disclose the name of the submarine that was involved in the Iran strikes. However, he said that a “guided-missile submarine” was involved. 

Four of the U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class submarines were converted into guided-missile submarines to accommodate conventional land attacks, as well as Special Operations Forces platforms. These submarines are the Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Georgia, according to the U.S. Navy. 

All U.S. Navy submarines are nuclear-powered, and Trump did not disclose additional details surrounding the submarines that would be repositioned amid increased tension with Russia. It is incredibly rare for defense officials to comment or reveal the locations of submarines, given the highly classified nature of their deployments and movements.  

Trump initially announced on July 14 that he would sign off on “severe tariffs” against Russia if Moscow were to fail to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. However, Trump said Monday that waiting that period of time was pointless as negotiations have continued to drag on for months. 

“I’m going to make a new deadline, of about 10 — 10 or 12 days from today,” Trump told reporters in Scotland Monday. “There’s no reason for waiting. It was 50 days. I wanted to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made.”

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In response, Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, accused Trump of playing the “ultimatum game.” 

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10 … He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,” Medvedev said in a post on X on Monday.

Trump’s new deadline comes amid heightened frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid stalled progress toward peace between Russia and Ukraine, and just days after Russia launched more than 300 drones, four cruise missiles and three ballistic missiles into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.