Defense Dept. Claims Anthropic Would 'Pollute' Pentagon Supply ChainIn an argument that effectively boils down to “you didn’t break up with me, I broke up with you,” Defense Department CTO Emil Michael told CNBC the Pentagon decided not to use Anthropic — and ordered DOD suppliers to cease using it as well — because its AI models would “pollute” the supply chain.“We can’t have a company that has a different policy preference that is baked into the model through its constitution, its soul, its policy preferences, pollute the supply chain so our war fighters are getting ineffective weapons, ineffective body armor, ineffective protection,” Michael told the outlet. “That’s really where the supply chain risk designation came from.”That’s a massive messaging U-turn from just two weeks ago, when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded Anthropic grant the Pentagon access for unrestricted military use or risk losing its government contract.Hegseth reportedly wanted to use the AI for autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance.Anthropic stood firm, and the government designated it a supply chain risk in what looks like a retaliatory act. It’s the first American company to earn the designation.Hours later, Anthropic competitor OpenAI struck a deal with the Pentagon instead.See All UpdatesClose