Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's message a complete lie regarding the Pentagon contract

by Fortune Brainstorm Tech

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, which develops the chat AI Claude, has reportedly sent an email to employees claiming that messages sent by OpenAI regarding a contract with the US Department of Defense are 'blatant lies.'

Read Anthropic CEO's Memo Attacking OpenAI's 'Mendacious' Pentagon Announcement — The Information
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/read-anthropic-ceos-memo-attacking-openais-mendacious-pentagon-announcement

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calls OpenAI's messaging around military deal 'straight up lies,' report says | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/04/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-calls-openais-messaging-around-military-deal-straight-up-lies-report-says/

Anthropic previously provided custom Claude models to the Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies. However, Anthropic had safeguards in place that prohibited the use of AI for mass surveillance of Americans or the development of fully autonomous weapons. The Department of Defense demanded the repeal of these safeguards, leading to a serious conflict with the company. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanded that Anthropic either lift the restrictions on Claude or sever ties with the company .

In response, CEO Dario Amodei issued a statement saying, 'These threats will not change our position,' rejecting the Department of Defense's request . As a result, President Donald Trump criticized Anthropic, saying, 'We cannot allow a company with radical left-wing ideology to try to control how our great military fights and wins.' He ordered government agencies to sever ties with Anthropic, and Secretary of Defense Hegseth declared that he would designate Anthropic as a 'supply chain risk.'

Shortly after this incident, OpenAI announced that it had reached an agreement to deploy advanced AI systems on classified Department of Defense networks. While OpenAI claims that the contract contains almost identical restrictions to those in Anthropic, some have pointed out that the contract leaves room for interpretation, potentially leading to mass surveillance. OpenAI has been criticized for this. As a result, the number of uninstalls of ChatGPT has nearly tripled , while Anthropic's popularity has skyrocketed.

OpenAI agrees to AI contract with Department of Defense, shortly after Anthropic negotiations collapse - GIGAZINE

According to the foreign media The Information, CEO Amodei wrote in an email to employees, 'The main reason OpenAI accepted the DoD deal and we did not is because OpenAI was interested in appeasing DoD officials, whereas we were actually interested in preventing abuse.'

Amodei also called OpenAI's claims that it had made clear it had agreed to prevent its AI tools from being used for mass surveillance a 'blatant lie,' and accused Altman of falsely portraying himself as an ambassador for peace.

TechCrunch points out that Anthropic objected to the Department of Defense's request that its AI be available for 'any lawful use.' Meanwhile, OpenAI's statement regarding its contract with the Department of Defense states, 'The Department of Defense may use AI systems for any lawful purpose, subject to applicable law, operational requirements, and established safety and oversight protocols.' This raises concerns that what is currently considered illegal could become 'legal' in the future.

'OpenAI's contract with the Department of Defense is seen as shady or questionable, and we're being portrayed as heroes,' Amodei wrote in an email. 'It works for some Twitter idiots, but who cares?'

Anthropic's Claude was reportedly used in the military attack on Iran at the end of February, in an AI system called the 'Maven Smart System.' The 'Maven Smart System,' developed by the data analytics company Palantir, reportedly provided real-time targeting and prioritization for the Iranian military attack.

Pentagon leverages AI in Iran strikes amid feud with Anthropic - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/04/anthropic-ai-iran-campaign/

Anthropic's major backers, Amazon and NVIDIA, have also attempted to ease the conflict with the Department of Defense. The Information Technology Industry Council, an industry group representing Amazon, NVIDIA, Apple, and OpenAI, expressed concern, saying, 'We are concerned by reports that the Department of Defense is considering implementing a supply chain risk designation in response to procurement disputes.'

Exclusive: Big tech group supports Anthropic in Pentagon fight as investors push to de-escalate clash over AI safeguards | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/technology/anthropic-investors-push-de-escalate-pentagon-clash-over-ai-safeguards-sources-2026-03-04/

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the US defense industry, including Lockheed Martin , is planning to discontinue use of Anthropic's AI tools following an order from the Department of Defense.

Defense contractors, like Lockheed, seen removing Anthropic's AI after Trump ban | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/defense-contractors-like-lockheed-seen-removing-anthropics-ai-after-trump-ban-2026-03-04/

OpenAI is reportedly considering contracts for unclassified networks with the US Department of Defense as well as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) .

OpenAI looking at contract with NATO, source says | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-looking-contract-with-nato-source-says-2026-03-04/

Bloomberg, a financial newspaper, predicted that annual sales would reach $20 billion (approximately 3.14 trillion yen) by 2026, but pointed out that the conflict with the Department of Defense could have an impact on business.

Anthropic Nears $20 Billion Revenue Run Rate Amid Pentagon Feud - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-03/anthropic-nears-20-billion-revenue-run-rate-amid-pentagon-feud