Trump says undetectable nuclear sub 'lurking' off Russia as he slams Putin again

Donald Trump issued a warning to Vladimir Putin as he reminded the Russian despot the US has submarines "lurking" near the country. Mr Trump used his address at an unusual gathering of US military personnel to hail America's military and nuclear prowess, while also sending a message to Moscow.

Speaking about his decision to send two nuclear submarines near Russia, the US President warned Mr Putin: "Our submarines are just lurking, but I'm sure we're not going to have to use it... It's undetectable, totally." Mr Trump, who has grown increasingly frustrated with Mr Putin during Ukraine peace talks, deployed the subs in August in response to "provocative" Kremlin comments. He told the audience the US was a "little bit threatened by Russia" and described the nuclear-armed vessels as the "most lethal weapon ever".

In reference to threats made by Mr Putin's ally, former president Dmitry Medvedev, Mr Trump said: "But I announced that, you know, based on his mention of nuclear, and it was really a stupid person that works for him mentioned the word nuclear, I moved a submarine or two, I won't say about the two, over to the coast of Russia, just to be careful."

He added: "Because we can't let people throw around that word. I call it the N-word. There are two N-words and you can't use either of them."

In a further warning to Russia and the US adversaries, he continued: "Frankly, if it does get to use, we have more than anybody else.

"We have better, we have newer, but it's something we don't ever want to even have to think about, but when somebody mentions it, that submarine started immediately thereafter and it's just lurking but I'm sure we're not going to have to use it."

In further taunting, Mr Trump claimed the US is "25 years" ahead of both Russia and China in terms of submarines.

The President said he wants to upgrade nuclear capabilities and over the next few years, will make the world's most powerful military "stronger, tougher, faster, fiercer and more powerful than it has ever been before".

He also spoke about the Ukraine war, saying he was "so disappointed in Putin" amid the stalling peace talks and continued large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Mr Trump said: "Are you a paper tiger?"

The President and Pete Hegseth spoke to hundreds of senior US military leaders who were abruptly summoned to Virginia from around the world for an unveiling of new directives to end "woke" culture in the military.

He also proposed using "dangerous" American cities as "training grounds" for the American military.

At another point in his address, Mr Trump said: "We're under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy but more difficult in many ways because they don't wear uniforms."

Mr Hegseth, with the newly-renamed title of Secretary of War, declared an end to "woke" culture and announced new directives for troops that include "gender-neutral" or "male-level" standards for physical fitness.