Trump administration blocks foreign access to Anthropic's most powerful AI models
2 Sources
[1]
Scoop: Trump admin blocks foreign access to Anthropic's most powerful AI
Why it matters: The move marks an escalation in Washington's effort to treat cutting-edge AI systems as national security assets. * Anthropic now finds itself on a Pentagon blacklist deeming it too dangerous for the government's own use, and in a Commerce Department licensing regime deeming it too dangerous for foreign use. Driving the news: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei saying that the Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models would be subject to export controls to any location outside of the U.S. and to all foreign persons within the country. * An administration official told Axios the Commerce Department decided to take the action after another company claimed it was able to jailbreak Mythos, alarming the administration about possible national security risks. * The administration tried to get Anthropic to pause releasing the latest models but was unsuccessful, the official said, prompting the export control letter. * The model needs to remain locked down until the U.S. government's national security apparatus is hardened, the official said, adding that could happen in the next few weeks. * Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Zoom in: Per Commerce's letter, a license will be required for the export, re-export or domestic transfer of Anthropic's models. * Furthermore, Anthropic will have to submit an additional application for individually validated licenses. * Failure to comply would result in financial and civil penalties. Context: The Trump administration earlier this month released an executive order to test the most advanced AI models before they are deployed. * Anthropic has a partnership with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation at Commerce for pre-deployment testing. Yes, but: The executive order is voluntary and explicitly avoids a licensing regime -- something White House chief AI adviser David Sacks was able to secure to avoid what he considers the "regulatory capture" of the biggest labs. * An administration official said that Trump "does not want to hurt the industry and wants innovation to continue." The bottom line: Anthropic's running fight with the government just got more complicated.
[2]
US blocks foreign access to Anthropic's most advanced AI models, Axios reports
June 12 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is blocking foreign governments, companies and individuals from accessing Anthropic's most advanced AI models, Axios reported on Friday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei saying that the Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models would be subject to export controls to any location outside of the U.S. and to all foreign persons within the country, the report said. (Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
Share
Copy Link
The Trump administration has imposed export controls on Anthropic's Mythos 5 and Fable 5 AI models, blocking foreign governments and individuals from accessing them. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acted after another company claimed it could jailbreak Mythos, raising national security concerns. The move escalates Washington's treatment of cutting-edge AI systems as national security assets.
Trump Administration Imposes Sweeping Export Controls on Anthropic's Latest AI Models
The Trump administration has taken decisive action to block foreign access to Anthropic's AI models, specifically targeting the company's most advanced systems, Mythos 5 and Fable 5
1
. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Friday announcing that both AI models would be subject to export controls to any location outside the United States and to all foreign persons within the country1
2
. The decision marks a significant escalation in Washington's effort to treat cutting-edge AI systems as national security assets, placing Anthropic in an unusual position where it appears on both a Pentagon blacklist deeming it too dangerous for government use and now under a Commerce Department licensing regime restricting foreign use.Jailbreak Claims Trigger Urgent Government Response
The Commerce Department's decision came after another company claimed it was able to jailbreak Mythos, alarming the administration about possible national security risks
1
. According to an administration official, the government attempted to persuade Anthropic to pause releasing the latest models but was unsuccessful, prompting the export control letter as an alternative measure. The official emphasized that the model needs to remain locked down until the U.S. government's national security apparatus is hardened, noting this could happen in the next few weeks. This rapid response demonstrates the administration's willingness to use regulatory tools when voluntary cooperation fails, even as it publicly supports innovation.Licensing Requirements and Compliance Mandates
Under the new restrictions, Anthropic must obtain a license for the export, re-export or domestic transfer of its advanced AI models
1
. The company will also have to submit additional applications for individually validated licenses, creating a complex compliance framework. Failure to comply would result in financial and civil penalties, underscoring the seriousness of the access restrictions. These requirements place Anthropic in uncharted territory, as AI governance measures typically haven't reached this level of stringency for commercial AI companies.Related Stories
Tension Between Innovation and Security Priorities
The move creates tension with the Trump administration's recent executive order on AI testing, which was designed to be voluntary and explicitly avoided a licensing regime
1
. White House chief AI adviser David Sacks had secured this voluntary approach to avoid what he considers "regulatory capture" of the biggest labs. An administration official stated that Trump "does not want to hurt the industry and wants innovation to continue," yet the export controls represent a mandatory intervention that could complicate Anthropic's business operations and partnerships. The company has a partnership with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation at Commerce for pre-deployment testing, which may now take on added significance as it navigates these restrictions. For AI companies developing frontier models, this development signals that national security concerns can override voluntary frameworks when specific threats emerge, particularly around vulnerabilities like jailbreak exploits that could expose sensitive capabilities to foreign actors.References
Summarized by
Navi
Related Stories
Anthropic sues Pentagon over unprecedented supply chain risk designation amid AI guardrails dispute
30 Apr 2026•Policy and Regulation
Anthropic and Trump Administration Ease Tensions Despite Pentagon's Ongoing Blacklist Battle
05 Jun 2026•Policy and Regulation
White House drafts guidance to restore Anthropic access as Pentagon legal fight continues
23 Apr 2026•Policy and Regulation
Recent Highlights
1
Apple WWDC 2026 unveils Siri AI overhaul with Gemini power, but EU users left waiting
Technology
2
SpaceX IPO makes Musk first trillionaire as AI potential drives $1.8 trillion valuation
Business and Economy
3
AI-designed vaccine passes first human trial, offering broad protection against coronaviruses
Health
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
