Donald Trump has announced the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines “to appropriate areas” in response to statements made by Dmitry Medvedev, in which the former Russian president and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council said that Russia is on the right path and will continue its policies.

In a post, Trump directly addressed Medvedev, describing the Russian official’s remarks as “highly provocative.”

“I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in appropriate areas, in case those foolish and incendiary statements are not just words,” Trump stated, adding, “Words matter, and they often lead to unpredictable consequences.”

Trump’s full statement:

“Based on the extremely provocative statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev — now Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation — I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in appropriate areas, in case those foolish and incendiary statements are not just words. Words are very important and can often lead to unpredictable consequences. I hope this is not one of those cases. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

It is worth noting that on Thursday (July 31), Trump posted on the Truth Social platform, attacking Medvedev over the Russian official’s remarks about tariffs and a potential U.S.-Russia confrontation. Trump called Medvedev a “failed former president of Russia” and warned him to “watch his words,” saying he was “entering very dangerous territory.”

Medvedev responded via a post on Telegram, claiming Trump’s reaction confirmed that Russia is on the right path and will continue its policy direction:

“If a few words from the former president of Russia provoke such a nervous reaction from the powerful President of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right and will keep moving along its own path,” he wrote.

He also reminded Trump of the “legendary Dead Hand” — a semi-automatic Soviet-era nuclear response system designed to activate in the event of the Russian leadership being wiped out.

It’s worth noting that all U.S. submarines are nuclear-powered, and all are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.