Donald Trump has moved two nuclear submarines towards Russia in an escalating war of words with its former president.

The US president said he had moved the nuclear weapons to regions near Russia in response to threats from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”