Donald Trump has ordered two US nuclear submarines to be moved closer to Russia in response to “highly provocative statements” from the nation’s former President Dmitry Medvedev.

Mr Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, taunted Mr Trump and his threats towards Russia over a Ukraine ceasefire, in a post on X earlier this week, writing “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war”.

Taking to Truth Social on Friday (US time), Mr Trump announced he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that”.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,” he added, without revealing the location of the submarines.

Mr Trump did not disclose where the submarines would be located, nor did he specify if he was referring to nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines.

The President also didn’t indicate which specific statement made by Mr Medvedev – who has been on an anti-US tirade for weeks – prompted the retaliation.

Mr Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012, had taken to X on Monday to respond to Mr Trump’s announcement he was giving Russia 10 days rather than the originally proposed 50 to agree to a ceasire with Ukraine or face secondary sanctions.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,” he wrote on X.

“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!”

Days later, Mr Trump warned Mr Medvedev he was entering “very dangerous territory” in a post on Truth Social.

“Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!” he wrote on Thursday.

Mr Medvedev responded hours later by writing, “Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.”

The former Russian president often makes aggressive remarks on social media and is less diplomatic toward the US than Russian President Vladimir Putin in his public comments — but is largely seen as having a ceremonial role with little actual influence.

He initially brushed off Mr Trump’s warning Russia would face new sanctions if it did not end the war within 50 days earlier this month.

“Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care,” Mr Medvedev wrote on X on July 15.

Mr Medvedev was even more belligerent under Mr Biden, arguing in November of 2024 that if the US were to send nuclear weapons to Ukraine, then Russia would have grounds to respond with an atomic attack.

He also raged against Mr Trump directing the US military to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities in June, writing “at this rate, Trump can forget about the Nobel Peace Prize — not even with how rigged it has become. What a way to kick things off, Mr. President. Congratulations!”

Stock market tanks

US stocks finished sharply lower on Friday the wake of Mr Trump’s expansive tariff rollout and announcement he had ordered the relocation of nuclear submarines towards Russia. A newly released July jobs report, which raised concerns about US economic health, also didn’t help the market.

At the close of the markets on Friday (New York time) the S & P 500 was down 1.60 per cent, the tech heavy Nasdaq by 2.24 per cent and the Dow Jones negative by 1.23 per cent.

Although, the markets are up on a year ago today and they are far higher than the slump seen in April when the original reciprocal tariff were announced.

It comes after Mr Trump on Thursday announced every product made overseas will face an import tax of at least 10 per cent when imported by US companies or individuals.

Weak jobs data released on Friday, also hurt the market.

The data found only 78,000 new jobs were created in July, lower than estimates of 100,000. Worse than that, new jobs data for May and June was revised down sharply. The changed numbers mean that in June a mere 14,000 new jobs were created in the US.

Some of the depressed numbers is due to the Trump administration shrinking the government. But it also appears employers are holding off creating new positions due to the economic uncertainty.

Last year new jobs numbers were often over 200,000 per month.

“This is a gamechanger jobs report,” CNBC quoted Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union as saying.

“The labor market is deteriorating quickly.”

Following the release, Mr Trump announced he had fired Dr Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of labor statistics who was charged with compiling jobs numbers.

In a post on Truth Social, he claimed Dr McEntarfer, was a “Biden appointee” who “faked” employment data, without providing evidence.

The firing of Dr McEntarfer will lead to concerns that her replacement will be under pressure to somehow produce more positive numbers and that US economic data is less trustworthy.

But Mr Trump said the main reason for the sacking was due to previous jobs numbers having to be corrected often months later.

“I was just informed that our Country’s ‘Jobs Numbers’ are being produced by a Biden Appointee … who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory,” he wrote on social media.

“This is the same Bureau of Labor Statistics that overstated the Jobs Growth in March 2024 by approximately 818,000 and, then again, right before the 2024 Presidential Election, in August and September, by 112,000. These were Records — No one can be that wrong?

“We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY.

“She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.

“McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months.

“Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative.

“The Economy is BOOMING under “TRUMP”.

Trump’s recent shift towards Putin

Mr Trump’s threat is the first time he’s suggested using the nuclear option in his battle with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has defied US warnings about continuing Russia’s three year war on Ukraine.

Dr Charles Miller, a senior lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University, told news.com.au last month there has been a shift in Mr Trump’s actions towards Russia in “the past couple of weeks” – during which time Mr Trump has stepped up rhetoric against the Russian leader, saying “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy” and declaring the US “get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin” among other remarks.

Dr Miller said one sign of the shift was the White House’s announcement on July 1 that it had stopped the shipment of some air defence and precision-guided weapons that were on track to be sent to Ukraine – a decision that was reversed days later.

“This was interpreted as being obviously something that’s very damaging and an intention towards Ukraine and it absolutely was but then we saw a reversal of that policy,” he said.

The following week, Mr Trump said he was “very, very unhappy” with Mr Putin and warned Russia it would face massive new economic sanctions if it did not end the war within 50 days.

“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 per cent,” Mr Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 14.

He further threatened “secondary tariffs” targeting Russia’s remaining trade partners and announced a deal whereby the US would send “top of the line weapons” to NATO to support Ukraine.

Dr Miller said last month Mr Trump would have to follow up his words with “more serious action” such as secondary sanctions or send more aid to Ukraine, for there to be a “reason for Putin to genuinely be fazed” by the US President – whom he views with more “amusement and bemusement”.

“There have been many times when Trump has appeared to shift against Putin and then not do something … I think that the key thing to look out for is not necessarily what Trump says but what Trump does,” he said.

Dr Miller said if Mr Trump followed through with his threat of secondary tariffs, it would be “very damaging” for Russia.

“If you were a Chinese company, then you’re basically faced with a choice to either do business with the United States or with Russia. In that kind, of situation, I think most Chinese companies would choose to do it with the United States and cut Russia off because it is simply not as lucrative as a market. So that would hurt Russia.”

He said a change in Mr Trump’s administration, such as the replacement of the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard – who has alleged former President Barack Obama created a false assessment of Russia’s role in the 2016 election – would also be a clear sign of a change in Mr Trump’s focus.

“I think that’s a big sign especially if she’s replaced by a more conventional Republican figure. Also if there are other people from the prior Trump administration who come back in who are more conventional Republicans,” Dr Miller said.

He added it’s possible Mr Trump could turn on Mr Putin – despite showing an “admiration” for the Russian leader.

“When you think about the people that Trump has been involved with over the course of his life, there’s a great pattern of instability in his personal relationships … he’s had close business partners and close political friends that he then chucks out.

“So the idea that he could turn on Putin eventually for some reason is not implausible at all.”