Trump orders U.S. agencies to stop using artificial intelligence technology

On February 27, US President Donald Trump announced he would instruct all federal agencies to "immediately halt" the use of all artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the latest development in the open conflict surrounding AI security. Negotiations between the Department of Defense and AI company Anthropic have stalled, with neither side willing to compromise, and the deadline for reaching an agreement expired on the afternoon of the 27th. The Pentagon had demanded that the AI ​​company relax its ethical guidelines for its AI systems or face severe penalties.

First, an hour before the deadline, Trump commented on Truth Social: "The left-wing lunatics at Anthropic made a disastrous mistake trying to force the Department of War to comply with their terms of service, not our Constitution. We will decide the fate of our nation, not it, by some out-of-control, radical left-wing AI company run by people who know nothing about the real world."

Second, hours after its competitor was penalized, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on the evening of the 27th that his company had reached an agreement with the Pentagon to provide AI to classified military networks, potentially filling the void left by Anthropic's expulsion. Shortly after the deadline on the 27th, Defense Secretary Pete Hergses stated that he had instructed the Department of Defense to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk to national security, claiming that Anthropic's "positions are fundamentally inconsistent with U.S. principles." This designation is typically used for foreign adversaries and could jeopardize the company's partnerships with other businesses. Hergses wrote on X: "Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner doing business with the U.S. military may engage in any commercial activity with Anthropic. America's warriors will not be held hostage by the whims of Big Tech ideologies."

Furthermore, the Pentagon signed a $200 million, two-year agreement with Anthropic, allowing the Pentagon to continue using Anthropic's artificial intelligence services with a transition period not exceeding six months. The Government Services Administration subsequently followed Hergses' lead, announcing the termination of its contract with Anthropic on the evening of the 27th. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Defense and Anthropic held consultations regarding the military's use of the company's Claude artificial intelligence system, sparking a public standoff between the two sides. However, negotiations ultimately broke down as the two sides appeared unable to reach an agreement on security safeguards.

Despite the federal government's tough stance against Anthropic, the AI ​​company and the Pentagon may still reach some kind of agreement. Furthermore, other AI companies may also take over Anthropic's contract. Later on the 27th, Human Factors issued a statement saying that it had not received direct communication from the Department of Defense or the White House regarding the progress of negotiations, but was "deeply saddened" by the events of the past 24 hours. In Silicon Valley, Anthropic has received support from its strongest competitors. Executives from several AI companies, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, have publicly expressed their support for Anthropic. Altman stated in a CNBC interview on the 27th that OpenAI shares the same bottom line as Anthropic.

However, Anthropic, which prides itself on being one of the most security-conscious leading AI companies, had already been embroiled in months of disputes with the Pentagon even before public discussions began last week. U.S. Department of Defense officials strongly advocated for the unrestricted use of Claude's capabilities, arguing it helps protect national security; Anthropic, on the other hand, firmly opposed using its products for mass surveillance or autonomous weapon systems capable of killing without human intervention.

In summary, President Trump ordered all federal agencies to immediately cease using technology from the U.S. artificial intelligence company Anthropic, including its large-scale model Claude. He accused the company of being an "extreme left-wing madman," claiming it attempted to "blackmail" the Pentagon with terms of service, interfere with U.S. military operations, and jeopardize national security. Anthropic had previously clashed with the Department of Defense over its refusal to allow the military unrestricted use of its technology. Under Trump's order, agencies have a six-month transition period to replace the technology, and the Department of Defense also plans to place Anthropic on its "supply chain risk" list, prohibiting military contractors from continuing to work with it, or face civil and criminal consequences.