From Fox News: President Donald Trump recently broke with decades of strategic silence when he publicly revealed the repositioning of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines in a thinly veiled warning to Russia.
The announcement — targeted at Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dmitry Medvedev after his latest nuclear threats — sent shockwaves through the defense world not just for its provocation, but for the sheer fact that it was said out loud.
Presidents have long moved military assets like aircraft carriers and bombers to signal resolve. But submarines, especially the covert, nuclear-powered kind, are rarely mentioned.
“We rarely, if ever, talk about submarine movements unless there’s been an undeniable accident,” Gene Moran, a former Navy captain and Pentagon strategic advisor, told Fox News Digital.
“Submarine deployments are unverifiable,” said Moran. “That’s what gives them strategic value, but also what makes this announcement clever — if you’re aiming for a headline.”
Vice Admiral Mike Connor, former commander of U.S. submarine forces, said Trump’s warning has precedent.
“He didn’t really give away too much,” Connor told Fox News Digital. “It’s generally understood, by our potential adversaries, that our submarines are out there, have been out there for 60-plus years, and are able to strike pretty much where they want, when they want, if needed.”
“It’s a more gentle message done this way,” Connor added. “It’s not really in your face. It’s just a reminder of what already exists.”
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