Anthropic Back in Talks with Pentagon After CEO's Criticism

Discussions resume days after Anthropic CEO accused Pentagon of 'mendacious' messaging and refusing 'dictator-style praise' of Trump

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Anthropic, an AI company, is back in 'last-ditch' talks with the Pentagon to resolve a dispute over AI safeguards, just days after CEO Dario Amodei accused the administration of rejecting the company's stronger safeguards while accepting weaker ones from rival OpenAI. Amodei claimed the clash stemmed partly from Anthropic's refusal to give 'dictator-style praise' to former President Trump, whom the company did not donate to, unlike OpenAI.

Why it matters

The outcome of these talks could determine whether Anthropic is designated a 'supply chain risk' by the Pentagon, which would force firms in the military supply chain to cut ties with the startup. The dispute highlights the tensions between tech companies and the government over the use of AI, particularly for surveillance and autonomous weapons.

The details

Amodei has been holding discussions with Emil Michael, the War Department's undersecretary for research and engineering, as part of a 'last-ditch effort' to reach a contract governing the military's use of Anthropic's AI models. Talks have resumed just days after Amodei circulated a memo accusing rival OpenAI of 'just straight up lies' about the disputes and claiming the administration's animus stems from Anthropic's refusal to 'donate to Trump.' A deal would allow the Pentagon to continue using Anthropic's technology and could help the company avoid being formally designated a 'supply chain risk.' Amodei also accused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of trying to undercut Anthropic while striking his own Pentagon deal.

  • Talks between Anthropic and the Pentagon resumed on March 2, 2026.
  • Amodei circulated a 1,600-word memo to staff on Friday, March 3, 2026.

The players

Dario Amodei

The CEO of Anthropic, an AI company that is in talks with the Pentagon to resolve a dispute over AI safeguards.

Emil Michael

The undersecretary for research and engineering at the War Department, who is holding discussions with Amodei as part of the 'last-ditch effort' to reach a contract.

Pete Hegseth

The Defense Secretary who has threatened to designate Anthropic a 'supply chain risk,' which would force firms in the military supply chain to cut ties with the startup.

Sam Altman

The CEO of OpenAI, a rival AI company that has struck a deal with the Pentagon after Anthropic's talks with the administration collapsed.

Greg Brockman

The president and co-founder of OpenAI, whom Amodei referenced in his memo as having donated to former President Trump.

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What they’re saying

“The real reasons DoW and the Trump admin do not like us is that we haven't donated to Trump (while OpenAI/Greg have donated a lot)…”

— Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic (The Information)

“I want to be very clear on the messaging that is coming from OpenAI, and the mendacious nature of it.”

— Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic (Anthropic internal memo)

“a lot of OpenAI and DoW messaging just straight up lies about these issues or tries to confuse them”

— Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic (Anthropic internal memo)

“it is false that 'OpenAI's terms were offered to us and we rejected them.'”

— Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic (Anthropic internal memo)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Anthropic to continue working with the Pentagon while the dispute is resolved.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies and the government over the use of AI, particularly for sensitive applications like surveillance and autonomous weapons. It also raises questions about the role of political donations in shaping government relationships with private sector firms.