Anthropic AI ban ordered by Trump after company rejects Pentagon use of Claude models for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons

Former US President Donald Trump directed federal agencies on Friday to immediately cease using Anthropic’s artificial intelligence technology following a standoff with the Pentagon over military deployment terms for the startup’s Claude models.

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The dispute arose after Anthropic refused the Department of Defense’s demand for unconditional military use of its AI, citing concerns over domestic mass surveillance and deployment in fully autonomous weapons systems.

The company described the Pentagon’s actions as “intimidation” and pledged legal action to contest the ban.

“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons,” Anthropic said in a statement.

Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, warned that federal agencies must comply immediately and threatened civil and criminal consequences if Anthropic failed to cooperate during the phase-out period.

“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” he said.

The Pentagon had given Anthropic a deadline of 5:01 pm Friday to comply or face enforcement under the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law that grants the federal government sweeping powers to direct private industry in support of national security.

Officials also threatened to label the startup a supply chain risk, a designation usually reserved for companies from adversary nations.

Anthropic vowed to challenge any such designation in court, arguing that forcing AI into unrestricted military use could “undermine, rather than defend, democratic values.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon’s position, barring any contractor, supplier, or partner working with the US military from conducting business with Anthropic.

He criticised the company for “arrogance and betrayal” in dealings with the government.

The standoff has drawn support from political and industry figures. House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries praised Anthropic’s resistance to what he called a “shocking invasion of privacy scheme,” while hundreds of employees from Google DeepMind and OpenAI urged companies to present a united front in a public letter titled We Will Not Be Divided.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed he is negotiating with the Pentagon to establish red lines on surveillance and autonomous weapons, echoing Anthropic’s stance that humans should remain in the loop for high-stakes automated decisions.

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Despite the ban, Anthropic maintained that it remains committed to supporting US national security within ethical boundaries, highlighting growing tensions between AI development and government deployment in the United States.