President Donald Trump ordered a government-wide ban on the use of artificial intelligence products from Anthropic Friday, escalating a dispute over the company’s restrictions on how its technology can be used by the military. The move came hours after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stated the company “cannot in good conscience” allow unrestricted deployment of its AI models, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Trump’s directive, announced via a post on his social media platform, accused Anthropic of attempting to “STRONG-ARM” the Department of Defense and prioritize its own terms of service over the U.S. Constitution. He claimed the company’s stance jeopardizes national security and puts American troops at risk. “The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE,” the post read. “I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology.”
The conflict centers on Anthropic’s refusal to lift restrictions on the use of its AI for mass surveillance of U.S. Citizens and the development of autonomous weapon systems. In January, Amodei reiterated these limitations, stating such applications required “extreme care and scrutiny combined with guardrails to prevent abuses.” This stance followed reports in January 2026 that Anthropic’s AI, through a partnership with defense contractor Palantir, may have been used during an attack in Venezuela.
The Pentagon had reportedly threatened to label Anthropic a “supply chain risk” – a designation typically reserved for companies with ties to countries scrutinized by federal agencies, like China – if the company did not comply with its demands. Such a designation would effectively bar firms using Anthropic’s AI from securing defense contracts, according to reporting from WIRED.
Anthropic’s position has garnered support from within the tech industry. Employees at Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft have publicly voiced their backing of the company’s leadership. Hundreds of Google and OpenAI employees signed an open letter urging their respective companies to uphold Anthropic’s “red lines” against surveillance and autonomous weaponry, expressing a desire for industry solidarity.
Civil liberties groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), have also rallied behind Anthropic, characterizing the Pentagon’s actions as an attempt to coerce tech firms into developing tools for mass spying and automated warfare.
Simultaneously, OpenAI announced a deal with the Department of Defense to provide its AI technology for classified networks, just hours after Trump’s ban of Anthropic. This agreement follows individual contracts worth up to $200 million awarded last summer to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI for “frontier AI projects.” As of February 27, Anthropic’s models were the only ones integrated into the DOD’s classified workflows, a result of its partnership with Palantir.
The Pentagon has not publicly responded to Trump’s order or clarified how it will proceed with the potential blacklisting of Anthropic. The company has yet to issue a statement following the president’s announcement.
