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Trump warns Putin’s right-hand man: ‘You’re entering very dangerous territory’

Trump escalates his war of words with Dmitry Medvedev, who had recently warned that U.S. actions were driving the country toward direct conflict with Russia

James Liddell
Friday 01 August 2025 14:21 EDT
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Related: Zelensky breaks silence after Trump cuts Russia peace deadline

Donald Trump issued a stern warning to “failed” former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and urged him to “watch his words” after he ridiculed the U.S. president on social media.

Russia and the USA do almost no business together,” Trump said in a midnight Truth Social tirade, after attacking India’s close ties with Russia and setting his sights on Medvedev.

“Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!,” he added

Medvedev, who was handpicked by Vladimir Putin to serve as president in 2008 due to term limits, ridiculed Trump’s recent ultimatum demanding Russia agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Trump has escalated his attack against former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during an early morning Truth Social tirade
Trump has escalated his attack against former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during an early morning Truth Social tirade (AFP/Getty)

During his trip to Turnberry, Scotland, on Monday, the president said that Putin must agree to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine within “10 or 12 days from today,” shortening it from a 50-day negotiating window.

Hours later, Medvedev issued an equally scathing response on X to Trump, who repeatedly promised on the 2024 presidential campaign trail to end Russia’s offensive in Ukraine on his first day in office.

“Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things,” he tweeted. “1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”

Plucking a nickname from Trump’s dictionary, Medvedev warned the president not to “go down the Sleepy Joe road,” referring to former President Joe Biden, which he said could lead to direct conflict between Russia and the U.S.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also took a shot at Republican Senator Lindsay Graham
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also took a shot at Republican Senator Lindsay Graham (Sputnik)

Hours later, Medvedev, who is currently the deputy chair of Russia’s security council, took a jab at South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham after the Republican demanded that the Russian politician “get to the peace table.”

“It's not for you or Trump to dictate when to 'get at the peace table'. Negotiations will end when all the objectives of our military operation have been achieved,” he said. “Work on America first, gramps!”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced plans to penalize India for buying Russian arms and oil as part of a revived “Liberation Day” tariff package that is due to kick in on Friday, along with doubling down on his threat to impose sweeping 25 percent levies on Indian imports.

While he previously called India a “friend,” Trump escalated his criticism against the country during his rebuke of Medvedev on Thursday.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia,” he wrote. “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”

“We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World,” he added.

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