Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall called Trump's order to phase out Anthropic use 'outrageous'
The deadline for Anthropic to meet Pentagon demands for unrestricted AI access passed without a deal
Kendall criticized the decision as detrimental to national security
The dispute highlights tensions between AI innovation and government access priorities
📖 Full Retelling
Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall denounced President Trump's order to phase out the use of AI company Anthropic as 'outrageous' in 2026, following the expiration of a deadline without a deal after Anthropic failed to meet Pentagon demands for unrestricted access to its artificial intelligence technology. Kendall, who served as the Air Force Secretary during the Biden administration, joined CBS News' 'The Takeout' to provide critical analysis of what he views as a detrimental decision to national security. The Pentagon had been seeking comprehensive access to Anthropic's AI systems for potential military applications, but the company reportedly maintained certain restrictions on how its technology could be used. Kendall's criticism highlights the growing tension between technological innovation and national security priorities in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. The former defense official warned that such abrupt dismissals of cutting-edge AI capabilities could put the United States at a competitive disadvantage against adversaries who are aggressively pursuing similar technologies.
🏷️ Themes
National Security, Artificial Intelligence, Defense Technology, Government Policy
# Anthropic PBC
**Anthropic PBC** is an American artificial intelligence (AI) safety and research company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established as a public-benefit corporation, the organization focuses on the development of frontier artificial intelligence systems with a primary e...
Frank Kendall III (born January 26, 1949) is an American engineer, lawyer and executive who served as the 26th United States secretary of the Air Force from 2021 to 2025. He has served in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Defense. A West Point graduate (Class of 1971, Distinguished ...
