Defense Secretary Summons Anthropic’s Amodei Over Military Use of Claude

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to meet Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei at the Pentagon on Tuesday morning to discuss the military application of Claude, as reported by Axios. The meeting follows the Pentagon’s consideration of labeling Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” a designation typically assigned to foreign threats, after the firm declined to allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to use its technology for extensive surveillance of Americans and autonomous weapon development. Anthropic, which secured a $200 million contract with the DOD last summer, reportedly utilized Claude during the January 3 special operations raid capturing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, highlighting existing tensions. According to a source cited by Axios, Hegseth is pressuring Amodei to cooperate or face expulsion. While it’s uncertain if Hegseth is serious, replacing Anthropic would be challenging. The potential consequences are significant: a supply chain risk label would nullify Anthropic’s contract and compel other DOD partners to cease using Claude.