US Government Bars Anthropic AI Tools Over Security Concerns

President Donald Trump directed all federal agencies on February 27, 2026, to cease using Anthropic artificial intelligence technology. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated Anthropic a supply chain risk after weeks of failed negotiations over the military use of its Claude model. The designation followed a July 2025 contract under which Claude became the first frontier model approved for classified networks. That agreement required the Pentagon to follow Anthropic acceptable use policy limits that barred the technology for mass domestic surveillance of Americans and for fully autonomous weapons systems capable of selecting and engaging targets without human intervention. The Pentagon sought to renegotiate those terms to allow use for all lawful purposes without restriction, but Anthropic did not agree by the February 27 deadline. Trump gave some agencies a six month transition period. Hegseth stated in conjunction with the directive that no military contractor may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic. The General Services Administration removed Anthropic from USAi.gov, the government platform for agencies to test AI models. The administration has not identified the specific legal authority it will invoke. Possible mechanisms include orders under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 and Section 3252 of Title 10. The situation remains fluid and could result in litigation or a negotiated resolution.