President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering all federal agencies to immediately cease the use of Anthropic’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The decision follows a contentious dispute between the Trump administration’s Defense Department – now rebranded as the War Department – and the AI firm.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump declared, "We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!" The directive allows federal agencies a six-month phaseout period to transition away from Anthropic’s products where necessary.
Pentagon Clash Over AI Use
The order comes in the wake of disagreements between Anthropic and the Defense Department regarding the AI company’s policies. Anthropic had placed restrictions on its AI model, Claude, to prevent its use in fully autonomous weapons systems and mass domestic surveillance. The Pentagon issued an ultimatum to the company to lift these restrictions, demanding unrestricted access to the technology for any lawful purpose.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei defended the company’s stance in a public response, stating, "In a narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values. Some uses are also simply outside the bounds of what today’s technology can safely and reliably do." He highlighted concerns regarding mass surveillance of Americans and the deployment of autonomous weapons capable of operating without human intervention. Amodei affirmed that the company would assist in ensuring a smooth transition if the Pentagon opted to offboard its technology.
However, Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael dismissed Amodei’s remarks, stating on X, "Anthropic is lying", and asserting that the department needs to use AI without requiring permission for critical military decisions, such as deploying defensive measures against drone swarms.
Designation as National Security Risk
Following Trump’s directive, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth classified Anthropic as a supply chain risk to national security, effectively barring the company from any commercial activity related to the U.S. military. "No contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic", Hegseth wrote in his statement. He noted that Anthropic’s services would be maintained for a maximum of six months to ensure a transition period.
Anthropic responded by labeling the designation "unprecedented for an American firm" and indicated that it would challenge the decision in court. The company clarified that the classification would apply only to Defense Department contracts and would not affect its commercial customers or other uses of its AI model, Claude.
Additionally, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced the removal of Anthropic from USAi.gov and its Multiple Award Schedule. GSA Administrator Edward Forst emphasized the administration’s alignment with Trump’s national security directive, stating, "We’re committed to delivering results for Americans and working with our AI industry partners who fit the bill."
Policy Criticism and Support
The president’s decision has sparked widespread debate. Critics, including Rep. Zoe Lofgren and Alexandra Givens, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, expressed concern over the implications of the ban. Lofgren stated that Anthropic is "trying to do the right thing" by establishing guardrails for AI use in the absence of legislative guidance. "Any freedom loving American can appreciate Anthropic’s attempts to prevent the DOD from using its AI model for mass surveillance of Americans", she said.
Givens echoed these sentiments, warning that Trump’s decision "sets a dangerous precedent." She stated, "The president is wielding the full weight of the federal government to blacklist a company for taking a narrowly-tailored, principled stance to restrict some of the most extreme uses of AI you could imagine – fully autonomous weapons and the mass surveillance of Americans."
Meanwhile, other lawmakers have backed Anthropic’s position. Rep. Ro Khanna commended the company, saying, "Good for Anthropic. I don’t want technology used by a federal government to have mass surveillance on American citizens. That’s common sense."
OpenAI Steps In
Shortly after Anthropic’s removal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that his company had reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its AI models in classified military networks. According to Altman, the agreement includes safeguards, such as prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons systems, as well as guarantees of human oversight in decisions involving the use of force. OpenAI’s involvement will include deploying field engineers and utilizing cloud-based networks.
Emil Michael welcomed the collaboration, stating, "When it’s comes to matters of life and death for our warfighters, having a reliable and steady partner that engages in good faith makes all the difference as we enter into the AI Age."
Details of the agreement between OpenAI and the Defense Department have not yet been released. The transition away from Anthropic’s AI remains an ongoing process, with the full implications of Trump’s directive yet to unfold.
