why Anthropic Rejects Pentagon’s Demands for AI Military Use.

By John ZurcherAmerica News WorldFebruary 27, 2026~777 words · 4 min read

Anthropic ,the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, issued a Friday deadline to Anthropic over its refusal to grant unrestricted military access to its Claude AI system. | Public Domain / DoD

Anthropic Rejects Pentagon’s Demands

Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the widely used Claude AI chatbot, has publicly refused the U.S. Pentagon’s demand to open its technology for unrestricted military use — escalating a rare and deeply public confrontation with the Trump administration that now threatens the company’s federal contract and its standing with Washington.

In a statement issued Thursday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Defense Department’s terms. Amodei said that new contract language received from the Pentagon made “virtually no progress” on two critical issues: preventing Claude from being used for mass surveillance of American citizens, and ensuring the AI would not be deployed in fully autonomous weapons systems without human oversight — both of which are explicitly prohibited under Anthropic’s existing policies.

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Pentagon Issues Friday Deadline, Threatens Emergency Powers

The escalating clash stems from an ultimatum delivered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a direct meeting with Amodei earlier this week. Hegseth demanded that Anthropic agree to unconditional military access to its AI technology by Friday, or risk losing its government contract entirely. Pentagon officials went even further, warning they could designate Anthropic as a national supply chain security risk — or invoke the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law that would give the federal government sweeping authority over the company’s products.

Amodei addressed the contradictory nature of those twin threats head-on, noting that one simultaneously labels Anthropic a security risk while treating Claude as essential to national security — a tension that, in his view, exposes the Pentagon’s position as legally and logically inconsistent. Despite the firm refusal, Amodei made clear the company has not walked away from negotiations and expressed hope the Defense Department would reconsider.

“Those latter two threats are inherently contradictory: one labels us a security risk; the other labels Claude as essential to national security.” — Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic

Anthropic Is the Last Major AI Firm to Resist Pentagon’s New Network

Anthropic is now the last of its major AI peers to hold out from supplying its technology to a new U.S. military internal network. Google, OpenAI, and Elon Musk’s xAI have all agreed to contracts with the Department of Defense. The pressure on Anthropic has intensified precisely because of the company’s strict policies, which prohibit Claude from being used in surveillance operations or autonomous weapons development without meaningful human involvement.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson, pushed back on Anthropic’s characterization, insisting on social media that the military has no desire to use AI for mass surveillance — noting that such use would be illegal — and has no intention of deploying AI-driven autonomous weapons without human involvement. He said the Pentagon simply wants to use Anthropic’s model “for all lawful purposes” and warned that restricting access could jeopardize critical military operations. “We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions,” Parnell stated.

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Bipartisan Congressional Criticism of Pentagon’s Handling

The dispute has drawn sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called out the Pentagon for handling the situation unprofessionally, arguing the confrontation should have been resolved in private. “Why in the hell are we having this discussion in public?” Tillis told reporters Thursday. “This is not the way you deal with a strategic vendor that has contracts.” He added that when a company resists a market opportunity out of fear of negative consequences, the government’s proper response is to listen carefully and work toward resolution behind closed doors — not through public ultimatums.

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Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was “deeply disturbed” by reports of the Pentagon attempting to pressure a leading American technology company. Warner warned the episode underscores the urgent need for Congress to enact strong, binding AI governance mechanisms specifically designed for national security contexts.

What Comes Next for Anthropic and the U.S. Military

The Friday deadline places Anthropic at a crossroads that could fundamentally reshape its relationship with the federal government and its reputation across the broader AI industry. Should Anthropic lose its contract, Amodei has said the company will facilitate a smooth transition to another provider — signaling confidence that its principles are non-negotiable regardless of the financial stakes.

The outcome will be closely watched by technology companies, policymakers, and AI ethics advocates worldwide. At stake is not just one government contract, but a defining question for the entire AI era: can private companies maintain meaningful ethical guardrails when confronted with direct pressure from the most powerful military on the planet?

About the Author

John Zurcher

John Zurcher is a technology and national security correspondent for America News World. He covers the intersection of artificial intelligence, defense policy, and civil liberties.