Military commanders given deadline to remove Anthropic products from systems

Senior Pentagon leadership and military commanders have been given a 180-day deadline to remove all of Anthropic’s AI products from their systems, with the Defense Department alleging the company’s technology poses an “unacceptable supply chain risk for use in all systems and networks.”

The order was issued in a March 6 internal memo, which was first obtained by CBS News and signed by Pentagon Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies. 

The two-page memo, which was confirmed to The Hill by a senior Pentagon official Wednesday morning, said that U.S. adversaries can “exploit vulnerabilities” of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) daily operations and could cause “potential catastrophic risks to the warfighter.” 

The memo also directs any other company with business ties to the DOD to halt using any of Anthropic’s products within 180 days, by Sept. 2, on work tied to the Pentagon’s contracts. 

Davies said in the memo that she is the only official who can provide an exemption. 

“Exemptions will only be considered for mission-critical activities directly supporting national security operations where no viable alternative exists, and the requesting Component must submit a comprehensive risk mitigation plan for approval,” she wrote. 

The memo was issued a day after the Pentagon formally designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a move it is challenging in court.

Anthropic declined to comment on the DOD directive.

The company has been locked in a high-profile feud with the Pentagon over safety guardrails on its AI models. After negotiations broke down late last month, President Trump directed federal agencies to halt using its technology, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was labeling the AI firm a supply chain risk.

The designation, which has typically been reserved for foreign adversaries, bars defense contractors from using Anthropic’s products.

After the Pentagon officially notified Anthropic of the designation last week, the company sued the Trump administration Monday, arguing both the label and Trump’s order are “unprecedented and unlawful.” 

The AI firm is challenging the administration’s actions under the First Amendment, contending that the Constitution “does not allow the government to wield its enormous power to punish a company for its protected speech.”

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