President Trump blasted former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday over remarks suggesting Iran’s allies could supply it with nuclear warheads as Tehran promises to retaliate for U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“The enrichment of nuclear material — and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue,” Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, wrote Sunday in a post on the social platform X. “A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.”
Trump took to Truth Social to ask if Medvedev was “casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!).”
“Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination? If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually,” he said.
Trump pointed to America’s ability to launch nuclear missiles from the same submarines that fired nonnuclear missiles at Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.
“They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly,” Trump wrote of the submarines.
Medvedev issued a statement on X responding to Trump later Monday.
“Regarding President Trump’s concerns: I condemn the US strike on Iran – it failed to achieve its objectives. However, Russia has no intention of supplying nuclear weapons to Iran because, unlike Israel, we are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he wrote.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently raised the prospect of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine in an attempt to scare off Western support for Kyiv.
While Iran has sold drones and other weapons to Russia throughout the war, Moscow has not played an active role in helping Iran respond to Israel’s punishing strikes over the past two weeks.
After the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday — dropping bunker busting bombs on its key Fordow uranium enrichment facility — Moscow said it was ready to help Tehran.
“Just today, the Iranian Foreign Minister [Abbas Araghchi] will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they will be able to exchange views in the wake of this traumatic escalation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“And, in fact, the Iranian side will be able to inform us about its proposals and its vision of the current situation,” he added.
Trump is reportedly set to meet with his national security team Monday afternoon. He has called on Iran to restart negotiations to end its nuclear program or face continued U.S. attacks.
Updated at 2:36 p.m. EDT