Hegseth declares Anthropic a supply chain risk, restricting military contractors from doing business with AI giant

February 28, 2026

TL;DR

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Anthropic a "supply chain risk to national security," prohibiting military contractors from commercial dealings with the AI firm.
Anthropic vowed to legally challenge the designation, calling it "legally unsound" and warning of a dangerous precedent.
The conflict centers on Anthropic's insistence on guardrails preventing the military from using its AI for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, while the Pentagon demands use for "all lawful purposes."
President Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic, with a six-month grace period for the Defense Department and other agencies to transition.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei disputes the government's characterization, calling the actions "retaliatory and punitive" and emphasizing the company's commitment to national security.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a similar agreement with the Department of War, including prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, urging the DoD to offer these terms to all AI companies.
The Pentagon had set a deadline for Anthropic to reach an agreement or lose lucrative contracts.

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