Anthropic can be of ‘great use,’ says Donald Trump despite Pentagon ban

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Tuesday regarding the status of Anthropic, suggesting that the AI company might soon reverse its blacklisting by the Pentagon. This development follows Trump's directive in February for the government to cease collaborations with Anthropic, which was subsequently labelled a supply-chain risk by the Pentagon.

Anthropic formally contested the designation by filing a lawsuit against the Defence Department in March. In an attempt to mend relations, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with White House officials last on March 17. The White House described the meeting as productive and constructive.

"They came to the White House a few days ago, and we had some very good talks with them," Trump stated on CNBC's Squawk Box. "And I think they're shaping up. They're very smart, and I think they can be of great use. I like smart people ... I think we'll get along with them just fine." When asked about a potential deal with the Pentagon, Trump said, "It's possible. We want the smartest people."

Anthropic referred to its statement made previously, highlighting the productive nature of the White House meeting, which focused on shared priorities such as cybersecurity and AI safety. This marks a potential reconciliation between Trump's administration and Anthropic, which has now been disputed for weeks.

Recently, Anthropic introduced Mythos, which is said to be the most advanced AI tool, capable of identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities. However, the Claude Mythos Preview will not be widely released. Instead, Anthropic has initiated Project Glasswing, inviting major tech companies and cybersecurity vendors to privately evaluate the model.

Co-founder Jack Clark mentioned ongoing discussions with the Trump administration regarding Mythos without divulging specifics. Despite Trump's previous characterisation of Anthropic as part of "the radical left," the company ran into trouble with the administration after seeking assurances from the Pentagon about the non-surveillance use of its AI tools.

The Pentagon's ban imposed a six-month restriction on Anthropic's AI tools usage by Defence Department employees and contractors, with certain exemptions for national security. Earlier this month, a Washington, DC, federal appeals court upheld the Pentagon's blacklisting of Anthropic, marking a win for the Trump administration following a contrasting verdict in another legal challenge by the company.