The Pentagon, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, issued a stark ultimatum to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on February 24, 2026, demanding the removal of Claude AI's safeguards against autonomous weapons without human oversight and bulk surveillance of U.S. citizens by Friday, February 27, at 5 p.m.
Anthropic's Claude is currently the only AI model deployed in the Pentagon's classified networks, part of a $200 million contract, but the company has refused "all lawful purposes" access without restrictions. If Anthropic does not comply, the Pentagon threatens to terminate the contract, label the company a "supply chain risk" barring future federal work, or invoke the Defense Production Act—a Cold War-era law—to legally force modifications and unrestricted use.
This has escalated after Claude's role in a January operation capturing Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, where Anthropic sought details on its application. Meanwhile, xAI's Grok secured Pentagon approval for classified access on February 23 by agreeing to "all lawful purposes" without pushback, displacing Claude as the sole provider.
The Pentagon is also fast-tracking OpenAI and Google for similar classified entry, providing alternatives if Anthropic holds firm. As of February 25, 2026, no resolution or Anthropic response has emerged publicly, leaving the deadline hours away and the AI-military ethics debate unresolved.
GOVERNMENTS WILL FORCE AI INTO THEIR WAR MACHINES—SAFEGUARDS BE DAMNED!