The Department of Defense’s Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, has clarified the complex relationship between the Pentagon and Anthropic, stating that while the company remains a designated supply chain risk, its advanced AI model, Mythos, presents a distinct national security challenge due to its sophisticated cyber capabilities.
“The Mythos issue, which is being addressed government-wide and not solely within the Department of War, represents a separate national security imperative,” Michael explained to CNBC. “We must ensure our networks are robustly fortified, as this model possesses unique functionalities for identifying and rectifying cyber vulnerabilities.”
Michael’s remarks follow a high-profile dispute between the DOD and Anthropic that surfaced earlier this year. The Pentagon initially flagged Anthropic as a supply chain risk, citing concerns that its technology could jeopardize U.S. national security, after disagreements arose over how the agency could leverage Anthropic’s AI models. This designation mandates that defense contractors certify they are not employing Anthropic’s Claude models in their military-related projects. Anthropic subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in March to challenge this Pentagon blacklisting.
The precise mechanisms through which the DOD could potentially utilize Anthropic’s Mythos model without contravening the supply chain risk designation remain unclear. Michael emphasized that the DOD’s requirement for stringent safeguards is negotiable, contingent on terms established with other technology partners.
In parallel, the DOD announced it has formalized agreements with seven leading AI companies to integrate their technologies across the agency’s classified networks for authorized operational use. This roster includes tech giants such as Google, OpenAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, alongside SpaceX (in conjunction with Elon Musk’s xAI) and Reflection, a startup focused on developing open-weight models.
Notably, OpenAI secured a deal with the Pentagon shortly after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared Anthropic a supply chain risk in late February. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman later acknowledged that the timing “appeared opportunistic and clumsy.”
Michael’s recent comments suggest that Mythos has indeed complicated the DOD’s strategy to sideline Anthropic. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reportedly engaged in “productive” discussions with senior Trump administration officials at the White House earlier this month concerning the Mythos model. Following this meeting, President Donald Trump indicated to CNBC that a resolution between Anthropic and the DOD is “possible,” acknowledging the company’s intelligence and potential utility.
Despite the supply chain risk designation, there are reports suggesting the DOD has been leveraging Anthropic’s AI to support its military operations. The National Security Agency, operating under the DOD, is reportedly utilizing Mythos, according to Axios.
“From a national security perspective, continuous evaluation is paramount,” Michael stated. “The NSA and the Department of Commerce are assessing all frontier AI models, including those from China, to understand their capabilities at the cutting edge.”
Anthropic’s legal challenges against the Trump administration in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., remain active.
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