New court filing reveals Pentagon told Anthropic the two sides were nearly aligned — a week after Trump declared the relationship kaput
Why it matters: Sets a precedent on how AI firms can push back against government security designations.
- Anthropic files sworn declarations denying the Pentagon’s “unacceptable risk” claim and asserting the DoD misread its negotiation stance.
- Pentagon (via Under Secretary Emil Michael) designated Anthropic a supply‑chain risk and later alleged the firm could be disabled or altered mid‑operation, a point Anthropic says was never raised.
- President Trump & Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly declared the partnership over after Anthropic refused unrestricted military use, prompting the legal showdown.
Anthropic is challenging the Pentagon’s claim that its AI poses an “unacceptable risk” to national security, filing sworn declarations that the DoD mischaracterized the negotiations and introduced new concerns after Trump publicly cut ties. The company says it never sought operational approval or risk of mid‑mission tech shutdown, and that the allegations stem from technical misunderstandings.
