“Another episode of this thriller. Trump once again spoke about his nuclear submarines supposedly ‘well hidden.’ But as the proverb goes: it’s hard to find a black cat in a dark room—especially when it isn’t there,” Medvedev wrote on X on October 1.
The remark came after Trump, during a meeting with U.S. military commanders on September 30, called Medvedev a “fool” and said:
“A few days ago, he threatened us. So, I ordered the deployment of the most powerful nuclear submarines to the Russian coast. I did it simply because he used the word ‘nuclear.’ We cannot allow people to use that word so loosely.”
Trump insisted the move was not an act of aggression but rather a preventive deterrent measure.
The two leaders have repeatedly exchanged verbal barbs. On August 1, Trump announced he had moved nuclear submarines to “appropriate areas” in response to Medvedev’s “highly provocative statements.” Days later, he even claimed U.S. submarines were “in Russia’s area,” though he offered no specifics.
The Pentagon declined to comment, as submarine operations are among America’s most closely guarded military secrets, essential for both deterrence and first-strike capability.
Security analysts say Trump’s statements may not signal direct military escalation, noting that both the U.S. and Russia routinely operate nuclear submarines near each other’s territories as part of their strategic deterrence posture.