DOD says Anthropic’s ‘red lines’ make it an ‘unacceptable risk to national security’

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced on Tuesday that it considers Anthropic to present an "unacceptable risk to national security." This statement marks the agency's first formal response to the AI company's lawsuits, which challenge Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent classification of Anthropic as a supply chain risk. Anthropic is seeking a temporary court order to prevent the DOD from enforcing this label. In a detailed 40-page filing submitted to a federal court in California, the DOD expressed concerns that Anthropic may attempt to alter its technology or preemptively change its AI model’s behavior during military operations if it believes its corporate boundaries—referred to as "red lines"—are being crossed. The controversy traces back to a $200 million contract signed last summer between Anthropic and the Pentagon, aimed at integrating its technology into classified systems. During negotiations, Anthropic voiced its opposition to the use of its AI for mass surveillance of U.S. citizens and expressed that its technology was not yet suitable for making decisions related to lethal weapon targeting. In response, the Pentagon argued that a private entity should not dictate how the military utilizes its technology. This stance has drawn criticism from various organizations, many of which advocate for Anthropic and suggest that the DOD could have simply terminated its contract instead of taking such punitive measures. In solidarity with Anthropic, numerous tech firms and their employees—including those from OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft—along with civil rights organizations, have submitted amicus briefs supporting the company's position. Anthropic has accused the DOD of violating its First Amendment rights and retaliating against the company based on ideological beliefs. A hearing for Anthropic’s request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for next Tuesday. Currently, Anthropic has not provided a comment regarding the DOD's latest statements.