Pete Hegseth Faces Setbacks in Battle Against Anthropic

WHO:

Gizmodo - Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary; Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic; Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; President Trump.

TechCrunch - National Security Agency (NSA).

WHAT:

Gizmodo - Anthropic is reportedly preparing its Mythos AI model for use in cyberattacks, despite a federal ban on using the AI model maker.

Business Insider - Anthropic officials suggested that leading AI labs should consider a potential pause in global AI development to allow societal structures to keep pace with technological advances.

Business Insider - Anthropic's proposal for a pause in AI development is characterized by some as a self-serving effort as the company moves toward an IPO.

Gizmodo - The NSA is using Anthropic’s Mythos AI model for offensive cyber operations, likely against China and Iran.

Gizmodo - Anthropic has installed about half a dozen engineers at the NSA.

Gizmodo - The Pentagon labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk due to its refusal to modify guardrails on its AI model, Claude.

Gizmodo - President Trump gave his blessing to blacklist Anthropic.

Gizmodo - The dispute between Anthropic and the Trump administration is showing signs of easing as the company prepares to go public.

Gizmodo - The U.S. government has taken a stake in at least ten companies, including a 10% stake in Intel.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - The NSA is involved in the operations, and Anthropic has staff at the NSA.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - Dario Amodei met with Hegseth on February 24.

Gizmodo - Amodei was invited to the White House on May 21 for Trump’s planned signing of an executive order on AI.

WHY:

Business Insider - Anthropic's proposal for a pause is motivated by the desire to study the implications of rapid AI development before limitations are deemed necessary.

Gizmodo - The Pentagon's concern over Anthropic stems from its refusal to allow the use of its AI for autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans.

Gizmodo - The easing of the dispute is important for Anthropic as it makes an initial public offering safer for investors.

HOW:

Business Insider - Anthropic's officials proposed a partnership among AI labs similar to nuclear weapons monitoring to manage AI development risks.

Gizmodo - Anthropic is customizing AI models for specific applications at the NSA.

(UPDATED June 6, 2026 07:52 UTC)

Anthropic is reportedly preparing its Mythos AI model for potential use in cyberattacks, despite a federal ban on the AI model maker. In light of the rapid advancements in AI, Anthropic officials have suggested that leading AI labs consider a pause in global AI development to allow society to catch up, although some view this proposal as self-serving as the company approaches an IPO. They propose a partnership among AI labs, akin to nuclear weapons monitoring, to better manage the risks associated with AI development.

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(UPDATED June 6, 2026 01:37 UTC)

The National Security Agency is now utilizing Anthropic’s Mythos AI model for offensive cyber operations, particularly targeting China and Iran, with Anthropic having placed several engineers at the NSA to assist in this effort. President Trump has approved a move to blacklist Anthropic due to concerns over its refusal to modify its AI model, which the Pentagon has identified as a supply chain risk, but signs of easing tensions between the company and the administration are emerging as Anthropic prepares for a public offering. This development is crucial for Anthropic, as the resolution of the dispute could make their initial public offering more appealing to investors.