Trump says he fired Anthropic ‘like dogs’ as negotiations with Pentagon reportedly restart

2026-03-05 · Source: AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Donald Trump claimed he "fired Anthropic like dogs" from federal contracts, coinciding with reports on March 5, 2026, that the Department of Defense (DoD) has resumed negotiations with the AI startup. Trump had ordered a federal ban on Anthropic's technology, which the state and treasury departments had begun using. The potential termination followed Anthropic's refusal of a Pentagon deal due to concerns over its AI models being used for domestic mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. In response, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a "supply-chain risk," a first for a US company, which could jeopardize its recent $60 billion financing round. Meanwhile, OpenAI secured a deal with the military, prompting Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to criticize OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for "safety theater" regarding safeguards, while Altman admitted his company would lack control over military use of its technology.

Key takeaway

For CTOs and VPs of Engineering evaluating defense contracts for AI integration, this situation highlights the critical need to scrutinize ethical implications and control over AI model deployment. Your company's stance on autonomous weapons or surveillance could lead to significant government blacklisting or jeopardize financing, as seen with Anthropic's $60 billion round. Ensure clear contractual terms regarding AI usage and potential dual-use scenarios to mitigate reputational and financial risks.

Key insights

Geopolitical tensions and ethical concerns are shaping the integration of advanced AI into national defense strategies.

Principles

• AI ethics impact defense contracts.
• Supply-chain risk designation can be punitive.
• Military AI use raises surveillance concerns.

In practice

• Evaluate AI ethics for defense applications.
• Monitor "supply-chain risk" designations.
• Assess AI model control in military contracts.

Topics

• AI Ethics
• Military AI
• Anthropic
• OpenAI
• Government Contracts

Best for: Investor, CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Policy Maker, Director of AI/ML, AI Ethicist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian.