Trump admin. bans use of Anthropic AI tech across federal govt., prompting 6-month phase out period oan

OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
6:34 PM – Friday, February 27, 2026

President Donald Trump issued a sweeping directive on Friday ordering all federal agencies to immediately cease the use of Anthropic’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The move marks a dramatic escalation in a public feud between the administration and the San Francisco-based AI firm over military safety guardrails and what the administration described as “woke” far-left corporate policies.

The order, announced via Truth Social just an hour before a Pentagon-imposed deadline, effectively blacklists one of America’s leading AI developers from the federal ecosystem.

“THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS! That decision belongs to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, and the tremendous leaders I appoint to run our Military. The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY. Therefore, I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” the president posted on X.

 

“There will be a Six Month phase out period for Agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products, at various levels. Anthropic better get their act together, and be helpful during this phase out period, or I will use the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow. WE will decide the fate of our Country — NOT some out-of-control, Radical Left AI company run by people who have no idea what the real World is all about. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he concluded.

Following President Trump’s announcement, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth officially designated Anthropic, the maker of the chatbot “Claude,” as a “supply chain risk.”

The directive follows weeks of tense negotiations between the Department of War and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. At the heart of the dispute is the Pentagon’s demand that Anthropic remove specific “red lines” from its AI model, Claude.

While Hegseth argued the military requires AI for “all lawful purposes” to maintain a competitive edge, Anthropic leadership maintained that removing certain “safeguards” would violate the company’s core ethical mission.

On Thursday, Amodei further declared that the company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the government’s demands.

The move has since sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman indicated on Friday that his company shares similar “red lines” regarding military use, raising questions about whether other major AI labs will face similar ultimatums.

On Capitol Hill, Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, condemned the move, calling it “bullying” and expressing concern that national security decisions are being driven by political considerations rather than careful analysis.

Conversely, many Trump supporters have praised the move as a necessary step to ensure the U.S. military is not “held hostage” by the ideological whims of pompous Silicon Valley tech executives.

The “supply chain risk” designation could severely hamper Anthropic’s plans for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) later this year, as it bars them from a massive segment of the enterprise market tied to government contracting.

To ensure a seamless and efficient hand-off, President Trump is proactively using his executive authority to prevent corporate foot-dragging. By warning of “civil and criminal consequences,” he is effectively safeguarding the transition process from any bad-faith actors who might try to disrupt the administration’s progress.

The Trump administration is also setting firm expectations for the company’s compliance and transparency. By requesting that Anthropic execs be “helpful,” the president is essentially mandating full cooperation in sharing data and ensuring service continuity to prevent any operational gaps during the transition.

The mention of “civil and criminal consequences” also serves as a standard legal reminder that the administration intends to use the full weight of the law — including potential fines or obstruction charges — to ensure the hand-off remains stable and secure. Ultimately, this represents a “carrot and stick” approach designed to guarantee that the transition of responsibilities is handled with total accountability rather than resistance.