Anthropic CEO Responds to Trump Officials’ Criticism Over AI Policy Stance

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, issued a statement to clarify the company’s position on U.S. AI policy after criticism from Trump administration officials. The statement was published on Anthropic’s website following public accusations that the firm was fueling regulatory fears to influence policy.

Amodei said Anthropic works directly with the federal government, including a $200 million agreement with the Department of Defense to prototype frontier AI capabilities and partnerships offering Claude for Enterprise and Government across federal agencies. He also highlighted the company’s collaboration with the White House on AI healthcare and education initiatives.

He reaffirmed support for President Trump’s AI Action Plan and energy expansion efforts, while clarifying that Anthropic opposed only one element of a broader legislative proposal—a 10-year moratorium on state-level AI laws. Amodei said the company instead favors a uniform federal standard and backed California’s SB 53, a bill requiring large AI firms to publish safety protocols while exempting smaller startups.

Amodei rejected claims that Anthropic aims to harm startups, noting that the company works with tens of thousands of them and partners with accelerators and venture firms. He added that Anthropic restricts sales of its AI services to China-controlled companies and continues to focus on maintaining U.S. leadership in AI through responsible development.