Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs Speak Out Against ICE Violence, Praise Trump

Dario Amodei and Sam Altman condemn Border Patrol actions while also expressing support for the president

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:07pm by Ben Kaplan

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The CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI, two prominent AI companies, have spoken out against the violence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis, with Dario Amodei criticizing the actions on national television and Sam Altman addressing concerns in an internal message to employees. However, both CEOs also praised President Trump, with Amodei applauding the president's consideration of an independent investigation and Altman expressing hope that Trump will 'rise to this moment and unite the country'.

Why it matters

The public and internal statements from these tech leaders come amid growing calls from their employees and the broader tech industry for CEOs to condemn ICE's actions and cancel any contracts their companies have with the agency. The CEOs' mixed messages, praising Trump while also criticizing ICE, highlight the delicate balance they are trying to strike between addressing employee concerns and maintaining relationships with the current administration, which has enacted policies that have benefited their companies.

The details

Amodei expressed concern over 'the horror we're seeing in Minnesota' during a NBC News segment, saying Anthropic has no contracts with ICE. In an internal Slack message, Altman told OpenAI employees that 'What's happening with ICE is going too far' and that 'there is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what's happening now.' However, both CEOs also praised President Trump, with Amodei applauding the president's consideration of an independent investigation and Altman saying he hopes Trump, 'a very strong leader,' will 'rise to this moment and unite the country.'

  • On Monday night, Amodei appeared on an NBC News segment.

The players

Dario Amodei

The CEO of Anthropic, an artificial intelligence company.

Sam Altman

The CEO of OpenAI, another prominent AI company.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“What's happening with ICE is going too far. Part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach. There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what's happening now, and we need to get the distinction right.”

— Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (Internal Slack message)

“We're glad to hear the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic condemning the ICE murders. Now we need to hear from CEOs of Apple, Google, Microsoft and Meta, all of whom have remained silent despite calls all across the industry.”

— ICEout.tech organizers (TechCrunch)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.