Pentagon keeps using Claude after Trump’s ban, and the timing raises eyebrows

The US military reportedly used Claude, the AI model from Anthropic, to inform its recent attacks on Iran despite a presidential order to cut ties with the company. The report was published by The Guardian, which said the tool was still in use during the strikes.

President Trump issued the directive on Friday, hours before the joint US Israel bombardment of Iran began on Saturday. In a Truth Social post, he criticized Anthropic and ordered federal agencies to stop using Claude.

The report said Claude was used for intelligence work, target selection, and battlefield simulations. It also noted that the Pentagon acknowledged the difficulty of quickly removing an AI system that is already embedded in operational workflows.

The phaseout began after a clash over restrictions

The dispute reportedly escalated after a January operation in Venezuela in which the US military used Claude during a raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Anthropic objected, citing terms that prohibit using its tools for violent ends, developing weapons, or surveillance.

The row between Anthropic, a much vaunted AI startup, and the Trump administration is sharply escalating. The Pentagon wants complete access to its models, despite safety and ethical concerns.https://t.co/8x37VWwP32

— DW News (@dwnews) March 1, 2026

Relations between the White House, the Pentagon, and Anthropic reportedly worsened after that incident. Biden midterms accusation also surfaced as part of the broader political fallout around the Iran operation.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Anthropic of “arrogance and betrayal” in a post on X and said the military would not be constrained by what he described as ideological demands from tech companies. He also said the Pentagon demanded full and unrestricted access to Anthropic’s AI models for every lawful purpose.

Even with the ban in place, Hegseth reportedly said Anthropic would continue providing services for up to six months while the Pentagon transitions away from Claude. Operation Epic Fury split has also been cited in coverage of internal divisions as the strikes and related decisions continue to reverberate.

With Anthropic being phased out, the report said OpenAI has reached an agreement with the Pentagon. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that the company’s tools would be used on the Pentagon’s classified network.

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