Cruz Questions Full Anthropic Ban, Seeks Basis for Prohibition

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has expressed uncertainty about President Trump's directive to ban all federal agencies from using Anthropic's AI technology, stating that he has not seen a clear basis laid out for the prohibition. Cruz's comments come after the Pentagon designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk to national security, leading to a phase-out of the company's technology within the Defense Department.

Why it matters

The dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon has raised questions about the role of private sector companies in shaping military defense policy, as well as the broader implications of banning federal agencies from using certain AI technologies. Cruz's comments suggest a lack of consensus within the Republican party on the administration's actions, potentially signaling a need for more transparency and justification from the White House.

The details

Sen. Cruz told CNBC's 'Squawk Box' that he found Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's reasoning for designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk to be 'reasonable on the face of it,' noting that the Pentagon chief 'rightly said that the military is not going to allow a private sector [company] set military defense policy for America.' However, Cruz added that 'without more information, I don't have a view one way or the other' on the broader ban of Anthropic technology across all federal agencies.

• On March 10, 2026, Sen. Ted Cruz expressed his uncertainty about President Trump's directive to ban federal agencies from using Anthropic technology.
• In February 2026, President Trump directed federal agencies to cease using Anthropic technology, following the company's CEO pushing the Pentagon to pledge it would not use its Claude tool for fully autonomous lethal weapons or mass domestic surveillance of Americans.
• In February 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk to national security, banning any contractor, supplier or partner of the U.S. military from conducting commercial activity with the company.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Sen. Mike Rounds has requested a briefing from the Pentagon on the dispute between Anthropic and the Defense Department, which could provide more clarity on the rationale behind the administration's actions.