Trump Demands End to Pentagon's Use of Anthropic AI Tech

On Friday, Donald Trump urged the U.S. government to immediately stop utilizing technology from the AI startup Anthropic, rejecting demands from the Pentagon. Trump stated that no amount of intimidation from the Department of Defense would alter his position against mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapon systems.

Anthropic announced plans to sue the Pentagon, arguing that their technology does not support mass surveillance of U.S. citizens. The Pentagon had threatened to label Anthropic a supply chain risk under Cold War-era laws, which would restrict their business with federal agencies.

In response, Anthropic outlined the dangers of the Pentagon's demands, emphasizing their commitment to democratic values. Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, was criticized for his handling of the situation, while Hakeem Jeffries praised Anthropic for resisting what he termed an invasion of privacy.

Other AI companies, including Google, DeepMind, and OpenAI, expressed solidarity with Anthropic, urging a collective stand against the Pentagon's demands.