Trump deploys two nuclear submarines near Russia after 'foolish and inflammatory' taunts in major escalation
The new military move appears mostly symbolic – the U.S. already has a fleet of dozens of nuclear-powered subs that are constantly on the move and ready to strike in the event of a conflict.
Nevertheless, it notches up the tensions once again after Trump announced he was moving up his deadline during his trip to Scotland to just ten to 12 days for Russia to agree to end the war.
Trump said he made the decision '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,' he wrote, without providing specifics.
'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!'
Medvedev, the former president of Russia who stepped aside when Vladimir Putin took a break from the top post, drew Trump's ire with his own post this week.
'Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia…Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!' he wrote.
Trump then tore into the Russian with angry posts around midnight Thursday.
'Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he's still President, to watch his words. He's entering very dangerous territory,' Trump wrote.
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