Anthropic, a prominent artificial intelligence company, has intensified its legal battle against the Department of Defense (DoD), submitting two sworn declarations to a California federal court. These declarations directly refute the Pentagon’s assertion that Anthropic poses an “unacceptable risk to national security,” arguing instead that the government's case is built upon technical misunderstandings and claims that were never raised during the extensive negotiation period preceding the dispute. This legal development comes ahead of a crucial hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, before Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco.

The dispute’s origins trace back to late February when then-President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly announced the cessation of ties with Anthropic. This decision stemmed from Anthropic's refusal to grant unrestricted military use of its advanced AI technology, setting the stage for the current legal confrontation.

Leading Anthropic’s counter-arguments are Sarah Heck, the company’s Head of Policy and a former National Security Council official, and Thiyagu Ramasamy, its Head of Public Sector. Heck, who managed government relationships and policy work and was present at the pivotal February 24 meeting with Defense Secretary Hegseth and Under Secretary Emil Michael, meticulously details what she describes as a fundamental falsehood in the government’s filings. She vehemently denies the claim that Anthropic ever demanded an approval role over military operations, stating unequivocally, “At no time during Anthropic’s negotiations with the Department did I or any other Anthropic employee state that the company wanted that kind of role.” Furthermore, Heck reveals that the Pentagon's concern about Anthropic potentially disabling or altering its technology mid-operation was conspicuously absent from all negotiations, appearing for the first time in the government's court filings without prior discussion.

A particularly noteworthy detail from Heck’s declaration highlights a critical timeline discrepancy. On March 4, merely one day after the Pentagon formally finalized its supply-chain risk designation against Anthropic, Under Secretary Michael reportedly emailed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, indicating that the two sides were “very close” on the very issues the government now cites as national security threats: autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans. This communication sharply contrasts with Michael's subsequent public statements, including his March 6 post on X asserting