Hegseth gives Anthropic deadline to give military full access to its AI

Feb 25, 2026 at 07:48 AM CST

Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth has given Anthropic until end of day Friday to give the U.S. military unfettered access to its AI model, Claude. — Image credit: AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File

Summary

Deadline set

Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth has given Anthropic until end of day Friday to give the U.S. military unfettered access to its AI model, Claude.

What's at stake

If Anthropic refuses, Hegseth could invoke the Defense Production Act to compel access. He has also threatened to end its $200M contract with the DoD and essentially blacklist the company.

Concerns raised

Anthropic has repeatedly asked the DoD to agree to guardrails that would prevent it from using the AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans, according to an Axios report.

Full story

Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth has issued a deadline to Anthropic’s CEO to give the U.S. military unfettered access to its AI model, Claude. It comes after the Department of Defense (DoD) used Claude in the raid in Venezuela that led to the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Anthropic has repeatedly asked the DoD to agree to guardrails that would prevent it from using the AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans, according to multiple reports. On top of that, the company’s public usage policy prohibits using its products to develop weapons or facilitate violence.

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Defense officials have pointed out that using the technology to spy on Americans is illegal.

What Hegseth is saying

In a meeting Tuesday, Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei he won’t let any company dictate the terms under which the Pentagon makes operational decisions, or object to individual use cases, according to a report from Axios.

Now, Axios says Hegseth is considering invoking the Defense Production Act to force Anthropic to let the military use its AI. He has given the company until the end of the day Friday to do so voluntarily or face consequences.

The Defense Production Act gives the president the power to require companies “to prioritize and accept contracts for or materials and services as necessary to promote the national defense.”

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Hegseth has already threatened punitive measures against Anthropic, including canceling its contract with the DoD and designating it a “supply chain risk.” That designation would mean anyone who wants to do business with the DoD must cut ties with Anthropic.

Claude is the only AI model currently available in the military’s classified systems, although the DoD did make deals last year with several major AI firms, not just Anthropic. Those include Google and OpenAI.

Shea Taylor

Shea Taylor is a producer at Straight Arrow News. She helps produce Unbiased Updates to bring viewers the news they need to start their day.

Tags: AI, Anthropic, Artificial Intelligence, Department of Defense, Google, Nicolas Maduro, OpenAI, Pete Hegseth, Surveillance, Technology

Speaker 0 00:00:02 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given Anthropics CEOA deadline to provide full access to the company’s AI model. Claude, the demand follows The defense department’s use of Claude in the raid in Venezuela led the capture of President Nicholas Maduro. Thropic has asked the Pentagon to agree to guardrails limits that would prevent the AI from being used for mass surveillance of Americans. Defense officials say spying on Americans is illegal. In a meeting Tuesday, hegseth told Andros CEO. He will not allow a private company to dictate how the Pentagon makes operational decisions or block specific uses Axios reports. Hegseth is considering invoking the Defense Production Act to force access, giving the company until Friday to agree voluntarily.

Why this story matters

The Pentagon has given AI company Anthropic until Friday to remove restrictions on military use of its Claude chatbot or face contract termination, supply chain blacklisting, or forced compliance under the Defense Production Act — a confrontation that directly affects how AI technology is deployed in national security operations and sets precedent for government authority over private tech companies.

Government contract and business exposure

Anthropic faces loss of its $200 million Pentagon contract and potential designation as a supply chain risk, which would require other defense contractors to certify they do not use Anthropic's technology in military work.

Expansion of federal emergency powers

The Pentagon threatens to invoke the Defense Production Act—a Cold War-era law typically used for manufacturing—to compel Anthropic to modify its AI product for military use, marking an unprecedented application of wartime authority to software.

Military AI deployment without corporate limits

Defense officials demand that AI tools operate under U.S. law alone, rejecting company-imposed restrictions on autonomous weapons targeting and domestic surveillance, establishing terms that will govern how all contracted AI systems function in classified military networks.

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Behind the numbers

The Pentagon awarded four AI companies contracts worth up to $200 million each last summer. Anthropic received a $200 million contract and was the first approved for classified military networks.

Community reaction

Legal experts warn the scenario is unprecedented and could trigger litigation. Georgetown University's Owen Daniels notes Anthropic's bargaining power is limited as competitors have agreed to broader terms.

Solution spotlight

Some sources suggest Anthropic could negotiate specific safety provisions within a broader lawful-use framework, allowing military applications while maintaining guardrails against autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the Pentagon's demands on Anthropic as a "threat" to make the company a "pariah" over "woke AI" concerns and "AI guardrails," even linking it to "fascist Grok AI.
Media outlets in the center use neutral terms like "threatens" and "deadline" regarding "AI safeguards," noting Anthropic is the "last of its peers" to resist.
Media outlets on the right portray the situation as an "ultimatum" for Anthropic to "ease AI restrictions" for military use, emphasizing the potential to "lose $200M deal.

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei a Friday deadline to provide unrestricted military access to their AI technology or risk losing their Pentagon contract, with potential actions including a supply chain risk designation or invoking the Defense Production Act.
Anthropic is the only AI company approved for classified U.S. Military networks and provides the AI chatbot Claude while resisting its use for fully autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance.
The Pentagon is concerned about losing access to Claude due to its advanced capabilities and is encouraging other AI companies to expand into classified military applications under less restrictive terms.
The dispute illustrates broader concerns about the ethical use of AI in military contexts and the need for stronger oversight amid rapid AI integration and civil liberties risks.

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Key points from the Center

At a Tuesday Pentagon meeting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei the contract will be terminated by Friday unless safeguards are loosened.
At issue are the guardrails Anthropic placed on its Claude model, banning fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance, while Pentagon concerns escalated this month over the Venezuela military raid.
Pentagon officials warned they could invoke the Defense Production Act or designate Anthropic a supply‑chain risk, and the government gave Anthropic until Friday at 5 pm to respond.
Canceling or blacklisting Anthropic could severely damage its ability to work with government partners and enterprise customers, while designation as a supply‑chain risk could force company executives to allow unrestricted Pentagon use.
Other firms such as Google, OpenAI and xAI have agreed to Pentagon terms and are moving onto classified networks, while Anthropic's $20 million donation adds a political element, highlighting gaps in law and oversight.

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Key points from the Right

The Pentagon has given AI company Anthropic a Friday deadline to remove usage restrictions on its Claude AI system for lawful military purposes or face contract cancellation or other penalties.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Anthropic of possible contract termination, designation as a supply chain risk, or use of the Defense Production Act if the company does not comply.
Anthropic refuses to allow its AI to be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance, maintaining these as red lines.
This dispute highlights tensions over control of AI usage policies in U.S. Defense systems as the military seeks unrestricted lawful use of AI technologies.

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