White House to Meet with Anthropic CEO Over Powerful New AI Model

Tensions escalate between the Trump administration and the AI safety company over the capabilities of its Mythos model.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:06pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D macro illustration of a complex cybersecurity infrastructure, with neon cyan and magenta lights illuminating the intricate hardware and data flows, conceptually representing the immense power and potential risks of advanced AI models.As the White House seeks to understand the national security implications of Anthropic's powerful new AI model, the cybersecurity infrastructure behind these advanced technologies comes into sharp focus.Washington Today

The White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, plans to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to discuss the company's new Mythos AI model, which has attracted attention from the federal government for its potential to transform national security and the economy. The meeting comes amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Anthropic, which has sought to put guardrails on AI development to minimize risks.

Why it matters

The Mythos model has raised concerns about its ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding and exploiting computer vulnerabilities, which could pose risks to public safety, national security, and the economy. The meeting reflects the growing importance of AI regulation and the need to balance technological advancement with responsible development.

The details

Anthropic has said the Mythos model is so "strikingly capable" that it is limiting its use to select customers. The company has also formed an initiative called Project Glasswing, bringing together tech giants and other companies to secure the world's critical software from the potential fallout of the new model. The Trump administration has previously tried to stop federal agencies from using Anthropic's chatbot Claude, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk, which the company has challenged in court.

  • The meeting between Wiles and Amodei is scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026.
  • In February 2026, President Trump said the administration "will not do business with them again!" in reference to Anthropic.
  • In March 2026, a U.S. District Judge blocked the enforcement of Trump's social media directive ordering federal agencies to stop using Anthropic products.

The players

Susie Wiles

The White House chief of staff who plans to meet with Anthropic's CEO.

Dario Amodei

The CEO of Anthropic, the AI company that developed the Mythos model.

Pete Hegseth

The U.S. Defense Secretary who sought to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk, which the company has challenged in court.

Rita Lin

The U.S. District Judge who issued a ruling in March 2026 that blocked the enforcement of Trump's social media directive ordering federal agencies to stop using Anthropic products.

David Sacks

A critic of Anthropic who was the White House's AI and crypto czar, and who said people should "take this seriously" regarding the Mythos model.

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What they’re saying

“We're releasing it to a subset of some of the world's most important companies and organizations so they can use this to find vulnerabilities.”

— Jack Clark, Anthropic co-founder and policy chief

What’s next

The judge's ruling in March 2026 blocking the enforcement of Trump's directive against Anthropic products sets the stage for continued negotiations and potential legal battles between the administration and the AI company.

The takeaway

The clash between the Trump administration and Anthropic over the Mythos AI model highlights the growing tension between technological advancement and the need for responsible AI development and regulation to mitigate potential risks to national security, the economy, and public safety.