Elizabeth Warren questions Pentagon over Anthropic blacklist

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has raised concerns over the US Department of Defense’s decision to label artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” suggesting the move may be retaliatory.

In a letter addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Warren questioned why the Pentagon chose to blacklist the company instead of terminating or modifying its contract.

She warned that the decision could signal an attempt to pressure tech firms into providing tools for surveillance and autonomous weapons without sufficient safeguards.

The dispute comes amid broader scrutiny of defense contracts with AI companies, particularly as the Iran conflict 2026 continues.

Reports indicate tensions escalated after the Pentagon sought broad access to Anthropic’s AI systems for “lawful purposes,” while the company pushed back against potential use in mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.

Anthropic has since filed a lawsuit challenging its designation as a national security threat, with a preliminary hearing set in a California federal court.

The controversy deepened after OpenAI announced a separate agreement with the Pentagon shortly after Anthropic’s blacklisting.

While OpenAI has stated its systems would not be used for harmful applications, lawmakers say details of the agreement remain unclear.

Warren has also requested information from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, expressing concern that current arrangements could enable domestic surveillance or deployment of lethal autonomous systems.

With limited congressional oversight due to political divisions, the issue highlights growing tensions between national security priorities and ethical concerns surrounding AI deployment.