Federal Agencies Ordered to Cut Ties with Anthropic AI

In a significant move impacting government technology procurement, President Trump has mandated a six-month phase-out of all Anthropic AI services, including its Claude platform, across federal agencies. The order, issued via social media on Friday, intensifies a public dispute between the administration and the AI company over contractual safeguards.

The conflict centers on AI ethics clauses within Anthropic's government contracts, which reportedly restrict uses such as mass surveillance of American citizens and deployment in fully autonomous weaponry. Prior to the presidential order, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had threatened to designate Anthropic a national security supply-chain risk. Following the announcement, Hegseth formalized that designation, effectively barring military contractors and partners from commercial dealings with the company.

Anthropic has maintained that negotiations with the Defense Department, referred to by the administration as the 'Department of War,' have stalled. A company spokesperson stated that proposed compromise language included provisions allowing the safeguards to be 'disregarded at will,' and that the core ethical protections have been a negotiation point for months. The company expressed a continued willingness to talk and commitment to supporting military operations.

The directive has drawn criticism from policy advocates. Alexandra Givens, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology, warned the action sets a 'dangerous precedent' that could stifle necessary dialogue between private companies and the government on responsible technology use, particularly in less-visible national security applications.

The AI industry has shown early support for Anthropic. Hundreds of employees from Google and OpenAI signed an open letter urging their companies to stand in solidarity, and an internal memo indicated OpenAI would uphold similar ethical boundaries in government contracts. The situation places new scrutiny on how emerging technologies are integrated into national defense frameworks.

Source: Engadget