Donald Trump Confirms US Nuclear Submarines Deployed Amid Russia Tensions

US President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed that he has ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in “appropriate regions” as a direct response to “inflammatory statements” made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, signaling a significant escalation in tensions between the two nuclear powers. When asked by a reporter if the submarines had been deployed to face Russia, Trump responded, “They are in the region, yeah — where they have to be.”

The move comes after Trump announced on Friday via Truth Social that he had ordered the deployment “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.” His order was a reaction to a statement from Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, who had reminded the US of Moscow’s nuclear strike capabilities. Trump’s directive has been issued amid his administration’s struggle to bring the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war to an end.

While President Trump has publicly confirmed the deployment, the US Navy and the Pentagon have maintained their standard policy of not commenting on the movement of their submarine fleet, citing the sensitive nature of their nuclear deterrence mission. It is extremely rare for a US leader to publicly disclose the positioning of such strategic assets. Trump did not specify the type of “nuclear submarines” deployed; US military submarines are all nuclear-powered, but not all are armed with nuclear missiles.

The US operates a fleet of 14 Ohio-class nuclear submarines, which form a critical part of the nation’s nuclear triad. Each of these submarines is capable of carrying up to 24 Trident II D5 missiles, which can deliver multiple nuclear warheads over thousands of miles. Typically, a significant portion of this fleet is on active deployment at any given time.

The overt nature of Trump’s announcement is a departure from typical military protocol and underscores the heightened state of alert between Washington and Moscow. Further highlighting the diplomatic activity alongside the military posturing, President Trump also confirmed on Sunday that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is scheduled to visit Russia