'Radical left, woke company': Trump blacklists Anthropic as Claude maker refuses Pentagon demands

In a significant move, former US President Donald Trump announced late Friday that he is instructing all federal agencies to cease the use of Anthropic's AI technologies. This decision follows the AI startup's refusal to comply with the Pentagon's demands for unrestricted military applications of its Claude models. Taking to Truth Social, Trump expressed his firm stance against what he termed a "RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY" attempting to influence military operations. He stated, "We will not allow anyone to dictate how our military conducts its operations!" Trump underscored that the authority to make such decisions lies solely with him and the leaders he has appointed to oversee military affairs. He further criticized Anthropic, suggesting that their refusal to cooperate represents a grave misstep that could endanger American lives and national security. He announced a six-month phase-out period for military agencies utilizing Anthropic's products, urging the company to facilitate a smooth transition. Trump warned, "If Anthropic does not align its actions with our needs during this phase-out, I will leverage the full power of the Presidency to enforce compliance, which could lead to severe civil and criminal repercussions." This declaration reflects his unwavering commitment to prioritize national interests over corporate dictates. Prior to Trump's announcement, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly condemned Anthropic and its CEO, Dario Amodei, accusing the company of arrogance and betrayal during their negotiations. Hegseth emphasized that the Department of War requires complete and unrestricted access to Anthropic's models for all lawful defense purposes, denouncing the company's attempts to impose its own terms. Hegseth also declared Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security, mandating that no contractors or partners associated with the US military may engage in business with the AI firm. He concluded, stating that Anthropic would continue providing services for a limited time frame to ensure a transition to a more suitable service provider, reinforcing that America’s military operations will not be compromised by the ideologies of corporate entities.