The president accuses the AI company of undermining national security, while New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and tech industry leaders defend its ethical stance on surveillance and autonomous weapons.
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump has ordered all U.S. federal agencies to terminate contracts with the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, accusing the firm of defying the Department of Defense and endangering national security. The directive follows a heated dispute over Anthropic’s refusal to allow its “Claude” AI models to be used for autonomous lethal weapons systems or mass surveillance of American citizens.
Key Points
- President Trump ordered all federal agencies to phase out Anthropic technology within six months.
- The order follows the company’s refusal to permit its AI systems to be used in autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.
- Governor Mikie Sherrill and other leaders say Anthropic’s limits protect civil liberties, not hinder national defense.
Trump: “We won’t let woke companies control the military”
In a statement posted online, President Trump said the United States “will never allow a radical left, woke company to dictate how our great military fights and wins wars,” calling Anthropic’s position a “disastrous mistake.”
“The leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a disastrous mistake trying to strong-arm the Department of War,” Trump wrote. “Their selfishness is putting American lives at risk, our troops in danger, and our national security in jeopardy.”
The president’s order mandates that all federal departments and agencies “immediately cease all use” of Anthropic’s products and services, giving those using its software — including the Department of Defense — six months to phase them out. Trump warned of “major civil and criminal consequences” for noncompliance.
The Pentagon–Anthropic dispute
The confrontation stems from Anthropic’s decision to block military clients from using its AI models for two high-risk applications: fully autonomous weapon systems and domestic mass surveillance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called those restrictions “ideological limitations,” arguing that the Pentagon must retain full discretion to use AI “for all lawful purposes.”
Hegseth labeled Anthropic a “supply chain risk” and previously threatened to cancel the company’s $200 million defense contract.
Industry observers describe the dispute as a test case for how AI firms balance national defense contracts with ethical commitments. Other companies — including xAI, Google, and Meta — have been more willing to comply with Pentagon requests.
Sherrill defends Anthropic, warns of “alarming attack”
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill sharply criticized the president’s directive, calling it “yet another alarming attack by the President on a private company defending its principles.”
“Standing up against mass surveillance and demanding security guardrails for how AI is used by the Department of Defense isn’t radical,” Sherrill said. “It’s protecting the Constitutional rights of the American people.”
Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and member of the House Armed Services Committee before becoming governor, said Trump’s order threatens to politicize national defense and undermine public trust in AI governance.
Company responds
In a statement, the company said:
Earlier today, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shared on X that he is directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a supply chain risk. This action follows months of negotiations that reached an impasse over two exceptions we requested to the lawful use of our AI model, Claude: the mass domestic surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons.
We have not yet received direct communication from the Department of War or the White House on the status of our negotiations.
We have tried in good faith to reach an agreement with the Department of War, making clear that we support all lawful uses of AI for national security aside from the two narrow exceptions above. To the best of our knowledge, these exceptions have not affected a single government mission to date.
Broader implications for the AI industry
The Council on Foreign Relations and other policy groups say the standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration could reshape federal technology contracts. Supporters of Anthropic argue that ethical limits are essential to prevent misuse of AI in warfare and surveillance.
Critics, including administration adviser David Sacks, call the company’s restrictions a “regulatory capture strategy” that gives private corporations control over military policy.
As the six-month phaseout begins, industry leaders warn that the administration’s hardline response may drive other AI firms to reconsider federal partnerships altogether, potentially delaying integration of advanced AI systems into U.S. defense programs.
Tags: Anthropic, Donald Trump, Mikie Sherrill
