US Military’s Use of Anthropic’s Claude AI Continues Despite Trump Ban

The US military reportedly continued to utilize Anthropic’s Claude AI model in recent operations, including strikes against Iran, despite a last-minute order from former President Donald Trump to halt all federal agency use of the technology. This situation highlights the challenges of quickly removing deeply embedded AI tools from military operations and raises questions about the balance between technological advancement and concerns over AI ethics and control.

Trump’s Ban and Pentagon’s Reliance

Just hours before the joint US-Israel bombardment of Iran began on Saturday, Donald Trump announced his decision to sever ties with Anthropic, labeling the company a “Radical Left AI company” on his Truth Social platform. Despite this directive, the Wall Street Journal and Axios reported that US military command used Claude for intelligence purposes, target selection, and battlefield simulations.

The initial friction between the Trump administration and Anthropic stemmed from the AI’s use in a January raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Anthropic objected to this application, citing its terms of use which prohibit the use of Claude for violent purposes, weapon development, or surveillance.

Defense Secretary’s Response and OpenAI Partnership

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly criticized Anthropic, accusing the company of “arrogance and betrayal” and asserting that “America’s warfighters will never be held hostage by the ideological whims of Big Tech.” Hegseth initially demanded unrestricted access to all of Anthropic’s AI models but acknowledged the difficulty of a swift transition, allowing Anthropic to continue providing services for up to six months to ensure a “seamless transition” to alternative solutions.

Following the fallout with Anthropic, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, stepped in to fill the gap. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, announced an agreement with the Pentagon to integrate its tools into the military’s classified network. Federal agencies are still phasing out Anthropic’s Claude and related services.

Anthropic’s Position and Rising Popularity

Anthropic initially objected to hypothetical future uses of its products for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weaponry, a stance characterized as “duplicity” by Secretary Hegseth. However, reporting suggests Anthropic did not initially object to military use. Despite the controversy, Claude’s popularity has surged, recently becoming the number one free app in the US App Store, surpassing ChatGPT in downloads.

AI’s Role in Modern Warfare

The integration of large language models (LLMs) like Claude and ChatGPT into military operations represents a significant shift in modern warfare. These tools are being used for critical tasks such as intelligence assessment, target identification, and simulating battle scenarios. AI is increasingly shaping the “kill chain” in contemporary conflicts.