The United States Department of Defense is reportedly considering measures against Anthropic amid disagreements over AI operational restrictions.

Claude, Anthropic’s advanced AI model, is currently the only AI operating within certain classified Pentagon systems through Palantir Technologies.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has allegedly given Anthropic a deadline to remove guardrails that limit military applications. These safeguards prevent uses such as autonomous weapons control and certain targeting decisions.

Meanwhile, competitors including OpenAI, Google, and xAI are reportedly open to operating under the Pentagon’s “all lawful use” standards.

If Anthropic refuses to comply, it could face blacklisting — a move that would reshape the U.S. military-AI partnership landscape.