Pentagon Flags Claude AI as a National Security Threat, Trump Orders Ban

The U.S. government has taken historic action against domestic AI firm Anthropic, officially designating the company as a supply chain risk to national security and directing all federal agencies to immediately stop using its AI model, Claude.

This classification has previously been reserved for foreign entities, such as Huawei.

The conflict escalated on February 28, 2026, when President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that federal agencies must “IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology.”

The administration has permitted a six-month phase-out period for departments heavily reliant on the technology, including the Department of War (DoW).

Following the President’s announcement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally labeled Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security.

Hegseth further declared that “no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic.”

According to Cybersecurity News, the core of the dispute revolves around Anthropic’s refusal to grant the Pentagon unrestricted access to Claude.

The Pentagon requested full access for “all lawful purposes,” but Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei requested two specific exceptions: mass domestic surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons.

https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Amodei argued that current AI models lack the reliability required for autonomous weapons systems, a stance he claims protects both military personnel and civilians.

He also asserted that mass domestic surveillance would violate Americans’ civil rights. Anthropic claimed that a proposed compromise contract from the Pentagon contained loopholes that would have allowed these safeguards to be ignored.

Prior to the ban, Anthropic had been operating under a $200 million DoW contract since June 2024, becoming the first AI company to deploy models on the government’s classified networks.

After private negotiations failed, the Pentagon issued an ultimatum, which Anthropic ultimately rejected, leading to the blacklist.

Anthropic plans to challenge the supply chain risk designation in court.

The company argues the move is legally questionable under 10 USC 3252, which limits such designations to DoW contracts, not broader commercial operations.

This means individual users and non-DoW contractors are not directly affected.

However, the ban could have significant ripple effects across the tech industry. Anthropic relies on cloud infrastructure from major providers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, all of which hold substantial defense contracts.

A strict interpretation of the ban could theoretically impact these partnerships. Legal experts warn that using this designation against a domestic company sets a controversial precedent.

President Trump has warned of “major civil and criminal consequences” if Anthropic does not cooperate during the transition period.

While Anthropic has committed to ensuring a smooth phase-out for military operations, the company maintains it will not compromise on its ethical boundaries regarding autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.

Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant Updates. Set Cyberpress as a Preferred Source in Google

The post Pentagon Flags Claude AI as a National Security Threat, Trump Orders Ban appeared first on Cyber Security News.