Trump moves atomic submarines

It's actually quite unusual for a US president to announce the deployment of his nuclear submarines. However, Donald Trump defied the norm and posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would move two nuclear submarines to "appropriate regions."

He said this was in case the "foolish and inflammatory statements" of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev amounted to more than that. Later, before departing for the weekend by helicopter, Trump explained his decision: "A former president of Russia threatened us. We will protect our citizens." If Medvedev was talking about nuclear weapons, America must be prepared. "And we are totally prepared," Trump emphasized.

Trump, however, refrained from revealing whether the unspecified submarines were nuclear-powered or loaded with nuclear weapons.

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The current situation is the result of a verbal exchange between Trump and former Russian President and now Vice Chairman of the Security Council, Medvedev. After Trump shortened the ultimatum to Putin to ten days before severe sanctions take effect, Medvedev threatened a direct military confrontation between Russia and the US on Platform X. He insulted Trump as "Grandpa." Trump, in turn, called Medvedev a "failed former president of Russia." He said he was "very disappointed" in Putin.

Trump's response was sharply criticized by John Bolton, Trump's former National Security Advisor, who is now one of his harshest critics. America's nuclear submarines don't even need to be deployed, Bolton told CNN: "A sufficient number of them are already capable of retaliating against a Russian nuclear attack." They don't need to be deployed, Bolton said. "They're already there and hopefully undetected."

In contrast, former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director in the Obama administration, Leon Panetta, praised Trump for not putting up with Putin's constant nuclear threats: "That sends the right message to Putin. He often behaves irresponsibly and threatens with his nuclear capabilities. That's unacceptable." Putin rarely responds to words, but only to actions, Panetta said.

Former Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe, Wesley Clark, disagrees. If Trump now threatens nuclear weapons like Putin, this will only stoke fears of war, which is precisely what Putin is aiming for: "It's just rhetoric. He thinks it makes him look strong. But it hurts us and helps Russia." Instead, Trump should finally supply more weapons to Ukraine, Clark said. Only then will Putin understand that he cannot win the war against Ukraine.

Putin appeared calm – albeit before the threats of nuclear submarines. In his first public reaction to the disappointed US president and his shortened ultimatum, he said: "All disappointments arise from excessive expectations." To approach a peaceful solution, Putin continued, a detailed conversation is necessary – not in public. "We have agreed that we will conduct such negotiations without cameras and political noise and seek compromises." To approach a peaceful solution, a detailed conversation is necessary – not in public, Putin continued. "We have agreed that we will conduct such negotiations without cameras and political noise and seek compromises." But this process has not yet begun.

Trump has significantly toughened his tone toward Moscow in recent weeks. After a series of heavy Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, he called Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "crazy" and accused him of spreading "a lot of crap" about Ukraine. He later called Russia's actions in Ukraine "disgusting."