Trump says Anthropic Pentagon deal is ‘possible’, weeks after blacklisting the company as a national security risk

President Trump told CNBC on Tuesday that a deal between Anthropic and the U.S. Department of Defense is "possible," describing the AI company as "shaping up." The statement comes weeks after the Trump administration blacklisted Anthropic, listing the company as a national security risk and barring its AI models from government systems. The blacklist was imposed in April 2026, citing concerns over the cybersecurity capabilities of Anthropic's Mythos model.

Trump's comments mark a potential reversal in the administration's stance toward Anthropic. The President did not specify a timeline or details for any potential Pentagon deal. Anthropic did not immediately comment on the President's remarks. The company has been seeking government contracts despite the earlier blacklist, according to sources cited by CNBC.

The shift follows broader debate within the administration over AI procurement. OpenAI has already secured contracts with financial institutions through its GPT-5.4-Cyber model and Threat Analysis & Containment platform, while Anthropic has been locked out of government work. Trump's suggestion of a deal opens the possibility of Anthropic models being used in defence applications, pending further review and policy adjustments.