#TrumpordersfederalbanonAnthropicAI

Trump Orders Federal Ban on Anthropic AI in Escalating Pentagon Standoff

President directs all agencies to cease use of Claude technology, accuses company of putting national security at risk

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has ordered all federal agencies to immediately stop using artificial intelligence technology developed by Anthropic, escalating a bitter dispute between the Trump administration and the San Francisco-based AI company over the military's access to its powerful chatbot systems .

In a fiery social media post on Truth Social Friday, Trump announced he was directing "EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic's technology," adding: "We don't need it, we don't want it, and will not do business with them again!" .

The president's order includes a six-month transition period for the Department of Defense and other agencies that have already integrated Anthropic's Claude AI into their operations, allowing time to phase out the technology .

Dispute Over Military Access Triggers Showdown

The unprecedented action against a domestic AI company stems from a weeks-long conflict between Anthropic and the Pentagon over contract terms governing how the company's technology could be used in military applications .

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had issued a Friday deadline demanding that Anthropic allow unrestricted military use of its AI tools for "any lawful purpose." The Pentagon simultaneously threatened to designate the company as a "supply chain risk" — a label typically reserved for foreign adversaries — and invoked the possibility of using the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to compel compliance .

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused to accede to the demands, citing concerns that the company's technology could be used for mass surveillance of American citizens or in fully autonomous weapons systems .

"We cannot in good conscience accede to the Department of Defense's demands," Amodei said in a statement Thursday. "These threats will not change our position." .

Following Trump's announcement, Hegseth followed through on the supply chain risk designation, declaring Anthropic officially restricted from defense contractor work — marking the first time the U.S. government has applied such a label to a domestic company .

Trump's Fiery Rhetoric Targets Company Leadership

The president's announcement included sharp personal attacks on Anthropic's leadership, whom he characterized as out of touch with national security imperatives.

"Anthropic's those left-wing lunatics have made a catastrophic mistake," Trump wrote, according to translations of his remarks. "They attempt to force the Department of War to abide by their service terms rather than our Constitution." .

Trump warned of severe consequences if the company failed to cooperate during the phase-out period, stating he would use "the full power of the presidency to force them to comply, with serious civil and criminal consequences" .

The president specifically invoked the "Department of War" — his preferred alternative designation for the Defense Department — in framing the conflict as one of military authority versus corporate overreach .

Industry Rallies Behind Anthropic

The administration's强硬 stance has drawn widespread support for Anthropic from across the technology sector, including from the company's fiercest competitors .

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company directly competes with Anthropic in the commercial AI market, publicly sided with his rival in an internal memo to staff. Altman emphasized that OpenAI shared the same "red lines" regarding military applications, rejecting uses involving domestic surveillance or autonomous offensive weapons .

"Two of our most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems," Altman said. "The Department of Defense agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we put them into our agreement." .

The support extended beyond executive suites. More than 550 AI engineers signed an open letter backing Anthropic's position, while unions representing approximately 700,000 workers at Amazon, Google, and Microsoft urged their employers to "refuse to comply" with Pentagon demands .

"Tech workers are united in our stance that our employers should not be in the business of war," the elected Executive Board of the Alphabet Workers Union said in a statement .

Even retired Air Force Gen. Jack Shanahan, who led the Pentagon's Project Maven AI initiative during the first Trump administration, expressed sympathy for Anthropic's position. "They're not trying to play cute here," Shanahan wrote on social media, noting that Claude's safety red lines appeared "reasonable" .

Pentagon's Dual Threats Called Contradictory

Amodei publicly highlighted what he characterized as logical inconsistencies in the Pentagon's approach, noting that the simultaneous threats to designate Anthropic as both a security risk and an essential national security asset were fundamentally contradictory .

A former Defense Department official, speaking anonymously to the BBC, characterized the Pentagon's legal position as "extremely flimsy" and suggested Anthropic appeared to have the upper hand in the confrontation .

"The legal basis for threatening Anthropic with invoking either the Defense Production Act or being labeled a supply chain risk was extremely weak," the former official said, adding that the company could potentially pursue legal action if those threats were carried out .

Financial Stakes and Market Impact

The conflict carries significant financial implications for both parties. Anthropic holds a Pentagon contract worth approximately $200 million, and its technology — including a specialized "Claude Gov" version — had been widely deployed across the intelligence community and armed services .

The company was uniquely positioned as the only AI system previously authorized to operate within the Pentagon's most classified cloud environments .

Despite the contract value, the financial impact on Anthropic may be limited. The company's most recent valuation reached approximately $380 billion based on current revenues and projected future earnings — making the Pentagon contract relatively modest in comparison .

"The former official added that Anthropic appeared to have the upper hand in the fight. 'This is great PR for them and they simply do not need the money,'" the BBC reported .

Competitors Poised to Fill Void

The administration's action against Anthropic appears likely to benefit competing AI companies, including Elon Musk's xAI, which has already secured access to classified military networks for its Grok chatbot .

OpenAI and Google, both holding existing defense contracts, are actively negotiating with the Pentagon to expand their military partnerships while reportedly seeking to maintain some safeguards around their technologies .

OpenAI confirmed it has reached agreement with the Pentagon on terms that respect both companies' red lines. "The Department of Defense agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we put them into our agreement," Altman stated .

Historical Context: Reopening Wounds From Project Maven

The current confrontation echoes tensions that first erupted in 2018, when thousands of Google employees protested the company's participation in Project Maven — a Pentagon initiative using AI to analyze drone footage for targeting purposes .

That employee revolt led Google to decline contract renewal and adopt public principles against using AI in weapon systems. The current dispute has reopened those wounds, with tech workers mobilizing once again against military applications of their companies' technologies .

"The conflict is the latest eruption in a saga that dates back at least to 2018," Reuters noted, observing that "theoretical 'killer robots' have remained a concern held by human-rights and technology activists" even as Ukraine and Gaza have become "theatres for increasingly automated systems on the battlefield." .

Political Reactions Divide Along Party Lines

The president's action drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who questioned whether national security decisions were being driven by political considerations rather than careful analysis .

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the Democratic vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed serious concerns about the directive. "The president's directive to halt the use of a leading American AI company across the federal government, combined with inflammatory rhetoric attacking that company, raises serious concerns about whether national security decisions are being driven by careful analysis or political considerations," Warner said .

Implementation and Next Steps

Federal agencies must now navigate the practical challenges of replacing AI technology that had become deeply integrated into government operations. The six-month transition period aims to minimize disruption while enabling an orderly shift to alternative providers .

Trump's order stopped short of the Pentagon's threatened invocation of the Defense Production Act, which would have compelled Anthropic to continue providing services regardless of contractual objections. However, the president explicitly warned of escalating consequences if the company failed to cooperate with the phase-out process .

Anthropic has indicated it will work to ensure a smooth transition to other providers, with Amodei stating the company "will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider" if the Pentagon proceeds with terminating their relationship .

The company has not publicly commented on the supply chain risk designation or indicated whether it might pursue legal challenges to the administration's actions .

Broader Implications for AI Industry

The confrontation establishes potentially significant precedents for relationships between AI companies and the U.S. government. Technology firms face intensifying pressure to balance their stated ethical principles against the demands of national security customers and the substantial contracts they offer .

Analysts suggest the outcome may influence how other AI companies approach military partnerships and whether they can maintain meaningful safeguards once their technologies are deployed in defense contexts .

The dispute also highlights fundamental questions about who determines the boundaries of acceptable military AI applications — technology developers who build the systems, or the government agencies that deploy them .

As one former Defense Department official observed, the confrontation ultimately reflects unresolved tensions about "AI's role in national security and concerns about how increasingly capable machines could be used in high-stakes situations involving lethal force, sensitive information or government surveillance." .

For now, Anthropic appears prepared to accept the consequences of its principled stand. "I hope the Pentagon will reconsider given Claude's value to the military," Amodei said Thursday. "But if not, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider." .