Anthropic has recently submitted two sworn declarations to a California federal court, disputing the Pentagon’s claim that the AI company poses a threat to national security. The declarations, filed alongside Anthropic’s reply brief in its lawsuit against the Department of Defense, precede a hearing scheduled for March 24 before Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco.
The conflict originated in late February when President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the discontinuation of ties with Anthropic due to the company’s refusal to permit unrestricted military use of its AI technology.
The sworn declarations were submitted by Sarah Heck, Anthropic’s Head of Policy, and Thiyagu Ramasamy, the company’s Head of Public Sector. Heck, a former National Security Council official, refuted the government’s claim that Anthropic had demanded an approval role over military operations, stating that such assertions were false and never communicated during negotiations.
Ramasamy, with a background in managing AI deployments for government clients at Amazon Web Services, addressed the government’s concerns regarding Anthropic’s potential interference with military operations. He clarified that once Anthropic’s technology is deployed in a government-secured system, the company has no access to alter its behavior without explicit approval from the Pentagon.
Furthermore, Ramasamy disputed the government’s assertion that Anthropic’s employment of foreign nationals posed a security risk, emphasizing that employees undergo rigorous security clearance vetting required for access to classified information.
The lawsuit filed by Anthropic contends that the government’s supply-chain risk designation, the first of its kind for an American company, was a retaliatory measure for the company’s public stance on AI safety, potentially violating the First Amendment.
In response, the government argued that Anthropic’s decision to restrict military use of its technology was a business choice, not protected speech, and that the designation was a necessary national security measure rather than punishment for the company’s beliefs.
The declarations and legal filings shed light on the complex dispute between Anthropic and the Department of Defense, underscoring the intricacies of AI technology deployment in sensitive government settings. The upcoming hearing will likely provide further insight into the contrasting perspectives of both parties involved.