New court filing reveals Pentagon told Anthropic the two sides were nearly aligned — a week after Trump declared the relationship kaput
Why it matters: The outcome could set precedent for AI‑military contracts and security oversight.
- Anthropic filed sworn declarations and a reply brief, denying any demand for a Pentagon approval role and challenging the DoD’s technical assertions.
- Pentagon/DoD labeled Anthropic a supply‑chain risk and warned the company could be disabled mid‑mission, but Anthropic says those worries only appeared in court filings, not in negotiations.
- President Trump & Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced severing the partnership after Anthropic refused unrestricted military use, prompting the legal dispute.
- Under Secretary Emil Michael sent an email the day after the risk designation, hinting at internal pressure, while policy chief Sarah Heck—an ex‑NSC official—was present at the pivotal Feb 24 meeting.
Anthropic counters the Pentagon’s claim it poses an “unacceptable risk” by filing sworn declarations that the agency’s accusations arise from technical misunderstandings and never‑raised concerns, just weeks after Trump and the Defense Secretary publicly cut ties.
