Until this week, Anthropic was the only AI company cleared to deploy its models on classified networks. Elon Musk's xAI is now the second.

The Pentagon said Anthropic and its Claude AI model are no longer welcome, letting OpenAI and Grok fill the gap in DOD classified systems.

The company's Claude chatbot is one of the few AI systems cleared for use in classified settings. But a standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration is putting its government work at risk.

Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei until Friday to grant the Pentagon unrestricted access to Claude or face losing its defence contract and a government blacklist designation.

The OpenAI rival has options in its showdown with the Pentagon.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Friday accused President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth of attempting to “extort” the company Anthropic into removing guardrails for its AI programs. Warren,

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the company that owns the AI assistant Claude would be punished unless it drops all ethical guidelines.

Taking a hit for upholding safeguards probably isn't the worst thing for your reputation.

Dario Amodei holding discussions with deputy to Pete Hegseth to reach a compromise on military use of the technology