‘WE CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE ACCEDE TO THEIR REQUEST’: In response to an ultimatum issued by Secretary Pete Hegseth, the CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei said Thursday the tech company will ignore today’s 5:01 p.m. deadline and stick with its position that its Claude AI platform must include guardrails to prevent misuse.
“Anthropic understands that the Department of War, not private companies, makes military decisions. We have never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner,” Amodei said in a statement rejecting Hegseth’s demands. “However, in a narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values.”
Hegseth has threatened Anthropic with two contradictory penalties to coerce the company to bend to his will — blacklisting the company so that other companies with defense contracts are barred from working with it, or invoking the World War II-era Defense Production Act to compel it to remove any restrictions on its use.
“These two threats are inherently contradictory: one labels us a security risk; the other labels Claude as essential to national security,” Amodei said in his statement, “Regardless, these threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.”
KILLER ROBOTS AND MASS SURVEILLANCE: The Pentagon has a $200 million contract with Anthropic and has been using its flagship AI program Claude for months. Clause was rumored to have played a role in the successful capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in January.
But the Pentagon’s version of the platform has two built-in restrictions — it can’t be used to power fully autonomous weapons, i.e., “killer robots,” or to conduct mass surveillance of Americans. The Pentagon argues it would never do that because it wouldn‘t be legal — unless Congress passed new laws.
“To the extent that such surveillance is currently legal, this is only because the law has not yet caught up with the rapidly growing capabilities of AI. For example, under current law, the government can purchase detailed records of Americans’ movements, web browsing, and associations from public sources without obtaining a warrant,” Amodei argued. And he says today’s AI systems “are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.”
“We have offered to work directly with the Department of War on R&D to improve the reliability of these systems, but they have not accepted this offer,” Amodei said.
“The Department of War has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal), nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement. This narrative is fake and being peddled by leftists in the media,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X. “Here’s what we’re asking: Allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes. This is a simple, common-sense request that will prevent Anthropic from jeopardizing critical military operations and potentially putting our warfighters at risk. We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions.”
A MATTER OF TRUST: “What this really boils down to is a lack of trust on Anthropic’s part that the Pentagon will always use their technology appropriately, and a lack of trust on the part of the Pentagon that Anthropic will let them use their technology in all relevant use cases,” Michael Horowitz, a former top Pentagon official for AI policy now at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the Atlantic.
“I mean, Pete Hegseth, he’s trying to do like a chest bumping exercise, I guess, with Anthropic,” tech journalist Kara Swisher, author of Burn Book, said on CNN. “I think this whole situation is moronic … If Anthropic doesn’t want to do these things, find someone else that will do them, right? The problem is Anthropic’s Claude is really effective, right? And you can’t make a company do something it doesn’t want to. It’s called capitalism, right?”
The reaction on Capitol Hill to the spat and Hegseth’s strong-arm tactics hasn’t been great either.
“Why in the hell are we having this discussion in public?” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Armed Services Committee, told Axios. “Why isn’t this occurring in a boardroom or in the secretary’s office? I mean, this is sophomoric…”
“It’s fair to say that Congress needs to weigh in if they have a tool that could actually result in mass surveillance,” Tillis said.
The Pentagon’s undersecretary for research and engineering called Anthropic CEO Amodei a “liar” who has a “God complex.”
“He wants nothing more than to try to personally control the U.S. Military and is OK putting our nation’s safety at risk,” Emil Michael posted on X. “We also won’t have any BigTech company decide Americans’ civil liberties.”
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) have accused Hegseth of weaponizing the Defense Production Act to “extort American companies.”
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Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: ANOTHER DRONE SHOOTDOWN SNAFU: For the second time this month, the FAA was forced to shut down commercial airspace over a Texas border town, reportedly because the military used a high-energy laser to shoot down a drone that turned out to belong to the Customs and Border Protection.
It was just two weeks ago, Feb. 11, when the CPB used the high-energy laser borrowed from the Pentagon to target what appears to have been a stray mylar balloon, forcing the closure of airspace over El Paso, and causing a short but major disruption in commercial air travel. This time, the closure over a smaller airspace over Fort Hancock, a border town about 55 miles southeast of El Paso, was shorter and did not affect commercial flights.
Cue the outrage.
“The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said in a statement. “The situation is alarming and demands a thorough, independent investigation.”
“Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system,” three Democratic House members said in a joint statement. “We said MONTHS ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan, tri-committee bill to appropriately train C-UAS [Counter Unmanned Aerial System] operators and address the lack of coordination between the Pentagon, DHS, and the FAA was a short-sighted idea. Now, we’re seeing the result of its incompetence.”
The statement was issued by Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and André Carson (D-IN).
FORCING A VOTE ON IRAN: Democratic leaders in the House say they will force a vote next week on a bipartisan resolution that would attempt to block President Donald Trump from going to war with Iran, without congressional authorization.
“As soon as Congress reconvenes next week, we will compel a vote of the full House of Representatives on the bipartisan Khanna-Massie War Powers resolution. This legislation would require the President to come to Congress to make the case for using military force against Iran,” the lawmakers said in a statement.
The resolution sponsored by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) is technically “bipartisan,” but Massie, so far, is the only Republican supporting it. “Next week, every Member will have the opportunity to go on the record as to whether they support military action against Iran absent Congressional approval,” the lawmakers said.
“The Iranian regime is brutal and destabilizing, seen most recently in the killing of thousands of protestors. However, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless. We maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress.”
With some Democrats planning to oppose the measure, a failed vote could be seen as tacit congressional approval for Trump to take unilateral action. In a joint statement, Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) say they oppose the resolution because of evidence Iran is “still pursuing a nuclear weapon” and has “moved aggressively to rebuild its ballistic missile capabilities.”
“We respect and defend Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war. Oversight and debate are absolutely vital. However, this resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks, signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”
IRAN AND US SILENT AS NEGOTIATIONS IN GENEVA CONCLUDE WITHOUT RESOLUTION
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Iran and US silent as negotiations in Geneva conclude without resolution
Washington Examiner: FAA again closes Texas airspace after military shoots down CBP drone, lawmakers say
Washington Examiner: John Thune backs regime change as Trump mulls Iran strike
Washington Examiner: Rubio, Machado, and Trump ranked as three most popular figures among Venezuelans: Poll
Washington Examiner: Why Trump’s changes to immigration courts will ‘absolutely’ ramp up deportations
Washington Examiner: Shifting funds to pay TSA workers during shutdown not an option: Trump official
Washington Examiner: ICE will not be at polling sites during 2026 elections, DHS confirms
Washington Examiner: Tom Rogan Opinion: Support Iran regime-change action? Admit the big costs to China war readiness
AP: Pakistan’s defense minister says there is now ‘open war’ with Afghanistan
Breaking Defense: It Would Take the Pentagon Months to Replace Anthropic’s AI Tools
New York Times: Google Workers Seek ‘Red Lines’ on Military A.I., Echoing Anthropic
Washington Post: Senator Seeks to Block Trump’s NSA Pick, Citing Civil Liberties Concerns
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Massive Buildup Against Iran Continues: F-22s to Israel, More F-35s and F-15Es to Europe’
USNI News: Navy Fighters, Air Force B-2 Bomber Rehearse Anti-Ship Missions off California
Wall Street Journal: F-16 Pilot’s Narrow Escape in Missile Attack Shows Risks of a New Mideast War
The War Zone: This Is What the EA-37B Compass Call Electronic Attack Jet Can Actually Do
Kyiv Independent: How Russia blackmails the desperate families of Ukrainian POWs
New York Times: With Possible Strike Looming, U.S. Says Staff Can Leave Israel, and Urges Speed
The Atlantic: What the Pentagon Fears in Iran
Foreign Affairs: Why Iran Will Escalate
AP: North Korea Warns It Could Destroy South if Threatened, but Leaves Door Open for US Dialogue
CNAS: Embracing a Hellscape Strategy to Defend Taiwan
AP: Americans’ sympathies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have shifted dramatically, new poll shows
Breaking Defense: Costs and Delays on NNSA Construction Projects More Than Doubled Since 2023: GAO Report
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Orbital Warfare Unit Gets Live Satellite to Practice Maneuvers
Defense News: SOCOM on the Hunt for ‘Acoustic Rainbow’ Tech for Silencing Drones
NextGov: Air Force Research Lab Seeks More National Approach for Innovation
AP: The Trump administration is detaining and questioning refugees already admitted to the US
THE CALENDAR:
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 27
9 a.m. — Center for a New American Security “Media Briefing on Iran,” with Richard Fontaine, chief executive officer of CNAS, Paul Scharre, executive vice president of CNAS, Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the CNAS defense program, Charles Horn, CNAS communications officer RSVP: https://cnas.zoom.us/webinar/register
9:30 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW —Brookings Institution in-person and virtual discussion: “U.S. policy in a changing nuclear landscape,” with Michael O’Hanlon, Philip H. Knight chair in Defense and Strategy, senior fellow and director, Talbott Center, Brookings; Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member, Armed Services Committee; Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director, foreign policy, Brookings; Tom Wright, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Andrew Yeo, SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies and senior fellow, Brookings Center for Asia Policy Studies; Mara Karlin, visiting fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Bruce Jones, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; Caitlin Talmadge, nonresident senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings; and Melanie Sisson, senior fellow, Talbott Center, Brookings https://connect.brookings.edu/register-to-watch-us-nuclear-landscape
9:30 a.m. 775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution discussion: “U.S. Policy in a Changing Nuclear Landscape, with Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Armed Services ranking member https://www.brookings.edu/events/us-policy-in-a-changing-nuclear-landscape ]
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Nuclear Testing Explained: History, Risks, and the Road Ahead,” with Henry Sokolski, executive director, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center; Don Cook, former deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration; and James Petrosky, NIDS president https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event
1 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “Reporters at risk: Navigating Iran’s internet blackout,” with Holly Dagres, senior fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy; Nate Swanson, resident senior fellow and director, Atlantic Council Iran Strategy Project, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, Rafik Hairi Center and Middle East Programs; Adrienne Arsht, executive vice chair, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative; and Andrew Peek, director, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/reporters-at-risk-navigating-irans-internet-blackout/
TUESDAY | MARCH 3
9 a.m. 226 Dirksen — Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight of the Homeland Security Department,” with testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem http://judiciary.senate.gov
9:30 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Update on the National Defense Strategy,” with testimony from Elbridge Colby, undersecretary of defense for policy http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 4
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Speed to Scale: Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base,” with testimony from Michael Duffey, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment http://www.armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. 2141 Rayburn — House Judiciary Committee hearing: “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.” http://judiciary.house.gov
10 a.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing: “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II,” with testimony from Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) http://oversight.house.gov
3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing: “Energy, Installations, and Environment Update,” with testimony from Dale Marks, assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations, and environment; Jordan Gillis, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment; Brendan Rogers, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations, and environment; and Michael Borders, assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy, installations, and environment http://www.armedservices.house.gov
2:30 p.m. 216 Hart — Senate Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee hearing: “The Current Readiness of the Joint Force,” with testimony from Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve; Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby; Assistant Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Bradford Gering; Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Lamontagne; Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Shawn N. Bratton; and Diana Maurer, director of defense capabilities and management at the Government Accountability Office http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
THURSDAY | MARCH 5
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “U.S. Defense Strategy and Posture and the National Defense Strategy,” with testimony from Elbridge Colby, undersecretary of defense for policy https://armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “Advancing National Security through Public Diplomacy,” with testimony from Sarah Rogers, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
