By Blessing Nweke
US President Donald Trump said Friday he will direct every federal agency to immediately stop using technology from AI developer Anthropic, escalating a bitter standoff between the White House and the company over military access to artificial intelligence tools.
“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, announcing that Anthropic’s software would be phased out of government work over the next six months.
The move follows days of public and private clashes between Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The dispute centers on Anthropic’s refusal to agree to what the Pentagon described as “any lawful use” of its AI systems, including expanded military applications.
Hegseth said he has deemed Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” a designation that would bar companies working with the military from engaging in commercial activity with the AI firm. If formalized, it would mark the first time a US company has publicly received such a label.
Anthropic, known for its AI assistant Claude, said it would challenge any supply chain risk designation in court, calling the potential move “legally unsound” and a “dangerous precedent.” The company has expressed concerns about its tools being used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.
The Pentagon — which Trump has also referred to as the “Department of War” — has insisted the government must retain flexibility in how it deploys advanced AI systems.
Anthropic said it had not received direct communication from the White House about the final status of negotiations but pledged to ensure a smooth transition if the Defense Department ceases using its tools.
Original article
Comments