Trump says he's ordered nuclear submarines repositioned after Russian official's ‘highly provocative' remarks
Donald Trump
War in UkraineFacebookTweetLink
Follow
President Donald Trump issued a rare threat of nuclear escalation on Friday, saying he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be strategically positioned near Russia in response to what he said were aggressive remarks by Dmitry Medvedev, the country's former president and current deputy chairman of its Security Council.
'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. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Addressing the matter later with reporters, he said the move was an effort to be 'prepared.'
'He was talking about nuclear,' Trump said. 'When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared, and we're totally prepared.'
It was not immediately clear if Trump was referring to subs with nuclear weapon capabilities, or merely nuclear powered subs. The Pentagon keeps movements of its nuclear capabilities closely held, making it nearly impossible to confirm Trump's announcement.
But his statement nonetheless made for a striking rhetorical confrontation that evoked some of the nuclear saber rattling that colored the Cold War.
Medvedev, who has been sparring with Trump online for the past several days, on Thursday had made reference to Russia's Soviet-era automatic, retaliatory nuclear strike capabilities, after Trump told Medvedev to 'watch his words.'
Medvedev has no power to launch Russia's nuclear weapons, and often acts as more of an attack dog than a real decision-maker inside the Kremlin. Still, Trump has engaged as he continues to rage about the war in Ukraine.
He said Thursday he intended to place new sanctions on Moscow, and called Russia's attacks on Ukraine 'disgusting.' In an earlier social media message, Trump said the Ukraine was 'should have never happened.' Trump said Thursday his foreign envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Russia in coming days, but additional details of his trip were not immediately available.
'This is Biden's War, not 'TRUMP's.' I'm just here to see if I can stop it!' Trump wrote.
This developing story has been updated with additional details.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
a few seconds ago
- Business Insider
U.S. adds new African nation to expanding visa restrictions list
The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe has suspended all routine visa services starting Friday, citing unresolved concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe and the country's inclusion in Washington's visa restrictions policy. The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe has suspended routine visa services citing concerns with the Zimbabwean government. The suspension impacts most non-diplomatic visas, disrupting plans for students, tourists, and business travelers. The action aligns with intensified U.S. immigration policies emphasizing compliance with migration and security protocols. According to a statement from the U.S. State Department, the pause in services will not apply to most diplomatic and official visas, but it is expected to affect thousands of students, tourists, and business travelers from Zimbabwe who rely on U.S. entry for education, commerce, and family visits. This marks the second time in two years, Zimbabwe has been placed on the U.S. visa blacklist. In 2023, then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new visa restriction policy targeting individuals accused of undermining democracy in the country. The move followed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's re-election in a disputed vote, which the opposition labelled a 'gigantic fraud.' Election observers also criticised the poll, stating it failed to meet both regional and international standards. In a formal communication, the U.S. Embassy in Harare stated: 'The U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, has paused all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas.' The statement further emphasized the administration's rationale: ' The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process. We are always working to prevent visa overstay and misuse. Applicants with scheduled visa interviews will receive information once appointments can be rescheduled. ' While embassy officials clarified that the move does not constitute a full consular shutdown, and that essential services will continue, the timing of the decision has sparked speculation over mounting diplomatic friction between Washington and Harare. The pause comes amid a tightening of U.S. immigration enforcement policies under President Donald Trump's second term, where visa access is increasingly tied to a foreign government's compliance with U.S. migration and security expectations. Trump's revised immigration policy The suspension of routine visa services in Zimbabwe aligns closely with President Donald Trump's revised immigration policy. Introduced during his second term, the updated immigration framework marks an intensification of Trump's longstanding push to curb illegal immigration and reduce visa overstays especially from countries designated as high-risk by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Under this more assertive approach, Washington now explicitly links visa access to a country's cooperation with U.S. migration enforcement, including deportation agreements, data sharing, and return protocols. Embassies have been granted broader authority to scale back or suspend consular services in countries seen as uncooperative or non-compliant. This latest development comes amid a broader policy shift that has added both financial and administrative hurdles for several African nations. Most notably, the U.S. recently imposed a $15,000 visa bond requirement on nationals of Zambia and Malawi, citing high visa overstay rates. In June, President Trump signed a new travel ban targeting 12 countries, primarily located in Africa and the Middle. Notably, seven of these are African nations. In Zimbabwe's case, analysts view the suspension as a calculated diplomatic lever, intended to pressure the country into stronger compliance with existing migration agreements and broader international expectations. As of now, no timeline has been provided for the restoration of normal visa services, leaving students, business travelers, and families in a state of uncertainty.
a few seconds ago
Trump declines to recommit to Aug. 8 as ceasefire deadline for Putin
President Donald Trump said Russia's Vladimir Putin doesn't have to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in order for him and Putin to meet. August 8, 2025
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Jr. Posts Photo of Trump Throwing Sex Toy at WNBA Game
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo to Instagram of President Donald Trump throwing a sex toy off the roof of The White House onto a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game, following multiple real-life incidents of people throwing sex toys onto the courts of WNBA games. Newsweek has reached out to the WBNA via an online contact form for comment outside of regular working hours. Why It Matters Since late July, there have been four separate incidents where sex toys have been thrown onto the court at WNBA games. The WNBA has vowed to ban anyone who throws toys onto the court for at least one year and has warned that they will people subject to arrest and prosecution from local authorities. The incidents have highlighted concerns about player safety, security, and the extent to which women's basketball is being taken seriously. L: Donald Trump, Jr., son of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks at a campaign rally in Sanford, North Carolina, on November 3, 2024. R: The WNBA logo is seen on... L: Donald Trump, Jr., son of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks at a campaign rally in Sanford, North Carolina, on November 3, 2024. R: The WNBA logo is seen on a basketball before the Las Vegas Aces play the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center on August 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California. More GRANT BALDWIN/AFP via Getty Images/What To Know The series of sex toy incidents began on July 29, when a person threw a neon green toy in the fourth quarter of a match between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia. The WNBA have since said that the fan responsible was arrested and ejected from the arena, and that they will be facing a ban of one year minimum. On August 7, Trump Jr, posted an image to Instagram that depicted Trump throwing a green sex toy off the roof of the white house, down onto the court of a WNBA game. The image has been edited, and in it, there is a basketball court next to the White House, which has a number of female basketball players on it. Trump Jr. captioned the image "Posted without further comment," and it has received over 90,000 likes as of press time. This post came as a fourth sex toy was thrown onto the court at a WNBA game on August 7, according to a social media post from the account @BricksCenter on X. @BricksCenter, which describes itself as a "Worldwide Leader In Sports Fails," in its bio on X, posted a clip of the game being interrupted after an item was thrown on the court. The post was captioned, "The WNBA had a No Bag Policy for tonight's game. A fan still snuck in a dildo," and has been viewed over 400,000 times as of reporting. What People Are Saying The WNBA said in a statement: "The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities." What's Next Whether these incidents will continue, and the impact they may have, remains to be seen.
