OpenAI CEO Defends Company's Work with Trump Administration

Altman says 'government should be more powerful than corporations,' but critics question whose government he means

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended his company's work with the U.S. government on Thursday, amid tensions between the Pentagon and rival AI company Anthropic. Altman said 'the government is supposed to be more powerful than private companies,' but his close ties to the Trump administration have raised questions about which government he believes should wield that power.

Why it matters

Altman's alliance with the Trump regime has created internal tensions at OpenAI, with employees upset that he has agreed to terms they see as detrimental. The situation also highlights the challenges tech giants face in navigating competing international regulations and interests, especially as the global order is upended.

The details

Altman made the comments at a tech conference in San Francisco, defending OpenAI's work with the U.S. government as the Pentagon battles with rival Anthropic. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused the Pentagon's demand to drop guardrails on its AI model, leading to threats of being blacklisted as a supply chain risk. In contrast, Altman has cozied up to Trump and clearly taken the administration's side in the fight.

  • Altman made the comments on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
  • The Pentagon's battle with Anthropic has been ongoing in recent weeks.

The players

Sam Altman

The CEO of OpenAI, who has closely aligned his company with the Trump administration.

Dario Amodei

The CEO of Anthropic, who refused the Pentagon's demand to drop guardrails on his company's AI model.

Pete Hegseth

The U.S. Defense Secretary, who threatened to blacklist Anthropic as a supply chain risk.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, whose second term began in January 2025.

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence company that has worked closely with the Trump administration.

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What they’re saying

“The government is supposed to be more powerful than private companies.”

— Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI (gizmodo.com)

What’s next

It remains to be seen how Altman's stance will impact OpenAI's relationships with other governments around the world, especially as the global order continues to shift.

The takeaway

Altman's defense of OpenAI's work with the Trump administration highlights the challenges tech giants face in navigating competing international interests and regulations, especially as oligarchs seek to leverage their influence with powerful political leaders.