“The bizarre situation is a chilling reminder why it is so dangerous with Trump’s finger on the nuclear button,” said one nuclear policy expert.

In an ominous post Friday afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions” following a provocation by a top Russian security official.

The president was responding to “highly provocative statements” by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council.

Over the past week, Trump and Medvedev have engaged in an escalating war of words regarding Trump’s negotiating tactics in the war between Ukraine and Russia.

Trump threatened to impose severe tariffs and sanctions on Russia if it refused to make peace with Ukraine within 50 days, before shortening the timeline to just 10 days.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,” Medvedev retorted. “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”

Trump referenced these comments Friday, saying he deployed the nuclear subs “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,” Trump added.

Some commentators were quick to note the irony that Trump often warned on the campaign trail that his opponents were bringing America to the verge of “World War III.”

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said the news was “a reminder that Trump has complete, unilateral authority to launch the U.S. nuclear arsenal.”

“Terrifying but true,” he said. “Such power should rest with Congress, not an impulsive president.”

Hans Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, said, “Trump’s announcement… in response to Medvedev’s equally stupid statement is deeply irresponsible and reckless.”

He noted that Russia’s leaders often use “big words,” and that “ever since the start of the Ukraine war, U.S. and allied leaders have tried to avoid nuclear saber-rattling and tit-for-tat responses.”

Kristensen suggested it was unlikely that Trump’s order would result in any significant change to the usual deployments of submarines at sea.

Nevertheless, he said, “the bizarre situation is a chilling reminder why it is so dangerous with Trump’s finger on the nuclear button. In a real tense nuclear crisis, this is precisely the reckless stuff he would do that could unnecessarily escalate the crisis.”

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  nuclear, Russia, submarine, trump