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President Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Stop Using Anthropic AI Amid Security Dispute
President Donald Trump announced Friday he is directing all federal agencies to immediately cease using Anthropic AI technology, escalating a growing dispute between the artificial intelligence company and the Department of War over how its technology can be deployed for military purposes.
“THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS!” Trump declared in a lengthy statement on Truth Social, his social media platform. “That decision belongs to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, and the tremendous leaders I appoint to run our Military.”
The presidential directive includes a six-month phase-out period for agencies such as the Department of War, which has been in a public standoff with Anthropic over terms of service that limit how the government can use the company’s AI systems.
The conflict erupted earlier this week when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused Department of War demands to use the company’s artificial intelligence for “all lawful purposes.” Amodei expressed concerns that removing certain safeguards could enable the technology to be used for “mass domestic surveillance” or “fully autonomous weapons.”
“We cannot in good conscience accede to their request,” Amodei stated Thursday, despite threats from the Department of War to terminate their partnership and designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” – a designation typically reserved for foreign adversaries.
The Department of War has forcefully rejected Anthropic’s characterization of their demands. Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs, stated on social media platform X that the department “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”
Instead, Parnell explained, the department was asking “to use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes” and warned the company they had until Friday evening to comply or face termination of their partnership.
Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael escalated the rhetoric by directly attacking Anthropic’s CEO on social media. “He wants nothing more than to try to personally control the US Military and is ok putting our nation’s safety at risk,” Michael wrote, calling Amodei “a liar” who “has a God-complex.”
In another post, Michael accused Anthropic of misrepresenting the Department’s intentions: “What we are talking about is allowing our warfighters to use AI without having to call @DarioAmodei for permission to shoot down an enemy drone swarms that would kill Americans.”
The dispute highlights the growing tensions between private technology companies developing cutting-edge AI capabilities and government agencies seeking to leverage these tools for national security purposes. It also underscores the broader debate about appropriate limits on artificial intelligence applications in sensitive domains like warfare and surveillance.
Trump’s order represents a significant escalation, essentially blacklisting a major American AI company from government contracts. In his statement, the president warned Anthropic to “get their act together” during the phase-out period or face “major civil and criminal consequences.”
“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” Trump stated, accusing the company of putting “AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.”
This development comes as the U.S. government has been actively seeking partnerships with AI companies to maintain technological advantage against global competitors, particularly China. The Pentagon recently contracted with Elon Musk’s xAI to support sensitive government workflows and military operations.
For its part, Anthropic has stated it remains willing to continue supporting national security efforts within its ethical guidelines. “Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters — with our two requested safeguards in place,” Amodei said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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6 Comments
This is a significant escalation in the dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon. It will be interesting to see how it plays out and what the broader implications are for AI governance and military technology.
This move raises important questions about the appropriate boundaries for military use of advanced AI systems. Balancing national security needs with ethical considerations will be critical.
I wonder what alternative AI solutions the government will turn to now that Anthropic is banned. This decision could have ripple effects across the defense tech industry.
The claim that Anthropic is a ‘radical left, woke company’ seems like a politicized characterization. I’d be curious to understand the specific security concerns that led to this directive from the President.
I agree, the political framing is concerning. Hopefully the underlying technical and policy issues can be addressed objectively, without unnecessary rhetoric.
As an investor, I’ll be closely watching how this dispute unfolds and what it means for Anthropic’s business prospects going forward. The company’s stance on ethics seems admirable, but the government’s reaction is concerning.