Anthropic’s relationship with the Trump administration seems to be thawing
Despite recently being designated a supply-chain risk by the Pentagon, Anthropic is still talking to high-level members of the Trump administration.
Despite recently being designated a supply-chain risk by the Pentagon, Anthropic is still talking to high-level members of the Trump administration.
There were earlier signs of a thawing relationship — or a sense that not every part of the administration wanted to cut off Anthropic — with reports saying that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell were encouraging the heads of major banks to test out Anthropic’s new Mythos model .
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark seemed to confirm this , claiming that the ongoing fight over the supply-chain risk designation is a “narrow contracting dispute” that would not interfere with the company’s willingness to brief the government about its latest models.
Then on Friday, Axios reported that Bessent and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles had met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. In a statement, the White House described this as an “introductory meeting” that was “productive and constructive.”
“We discussed opportunities for collaboration, as well as shared approaches and protocols to address the challenges associated with scaling this technology,” the White House said.
Similarly, Anthropic issued a statement confirming that Amodei had met with “senior administration officials for a productive discussion on how Anthropic and the U.S. government can work together on key shared priorities such as cybersecurity, America’s lead in the AI race, and AI safety.”
The company added that it’s “looking forward to continuing these discussions.”
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The dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon seemingly began after failed negotiations over the military’s use of Anthropic’s models; the AI company sought to maintain safeguards around the use of its technology for fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. (OpenAI quickly announced a military deal of its own , leading to some consumer backlash .)
The Pentagon subsequently declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk — a label that’s generally reserved for foreign adversaries and could severely limit the use of Anthropic’s models by the government. The company is challenging that designation in court .
But it sounds like the rest of the Trump administration doesn’t share the Pentagon’s hostility, with an administration source telling Axios that “every agency” except the Department of Defense wants to use the company’s technology.
Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech reporter at Adweek, a senior editor at VentureBeat, a local government reporter at the Hollister Free Lance, and vice president of content at a VC firm. He lives in New York City.
You can contact or verify outreach from Anthony by emailing anthony.ha@techcrunch.com .
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Key takeaways
- The Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk reflects global concerns about AI security.
- The willingness of Trump administration agencies to engage with Anthropic suggests a shift towards collaboration rather than restrictions.
- The safeguards Anthropic seeks may influence ethical discussions about AI use in Brazil.
Editorial analysis
The relationship between Anthropic and the Trump administration, although marked by tensions, reveals important nuances that could impact the technology sector in Brazil and globally. The Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk highlights the growing concern over national security regarding AI, a theme that resonates in Brazil, where the government is increasingly attentive to the implications of technology on security and privacy. The willingness of administration members to engage with Anthropic suggests a recognition of AI's potential to drive innovation and competitiveness, reflecting a trend observable in other countries, including Brazil, where AI startups are rapidly emerging.
Moreover, Anthropic's pursuit of safeguards regarding the use of its technologies for autonomous weaponry and mass surveillance is a crucial point. This raises ethical questions that are also relevant in the Brazilian context, where discussions about the use of technology for monitoring and social control are on the rise. The fact that other agencies in the Trump administration are willing to collaborate with Anthropic may indicate a paradigm shift regarding AI, prioritizing innovation and safety over a purely restrictive approach.
What to watch for next is how this dynamic unfolds, especially if Anthropic manages to overturn the supply-chain risk designation. The outcome of this legal process could influence not only the company's operations but also the regulatory environment for other AI startups, both in the U.S. and Brazil. The interaction between the private sector and the government will be crucial in shaping the future of AI and its applications, and Brazil could benefit from observing and learning from these interactions on the international stage.
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