Washington | September 28, 2026
US President Donald Trump hosted Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for a private dinner at the White House, bringing the two together for their first reported one-on-one meeting after months of disagreements over artificial intelligence policy and the use of AI by the US military.
The meeting came just days after a federal appeals court upheld the Pentagon’s decision to classify Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” allowing the Defense Department to continue restricting use of the company’s AI models.
AI Safety Debate at the Centre
Amodei has publicly called for greater caution over the rapid development of advanced AI systems, warning that safety measures need to keep pace with technological progress.
Trump has taken a different position, arguing that slowing US AI development could weaken America’s technological advantage over China. He has repeatedly emphasised maintaining US leadership in advanced AI.
The dinner therefore comes as Washington faces growing debate over how quickly AI companies should develop increasingly powerful systems and what safeguards should accompany that progress.
Tensions Between Anthropic and Pentagon
Relations between Anthropic and the Trump administration deteriorated earlier this year after the company resisted allowing its models to be used for fully autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance, according to reports.
The Pentagon subsequently designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk, while the company challenged the government’s action in court. A federal appeals court upheld the designation shortly before the White House dinner.
Wider AI Discussions in Washington
The meeting also comes ahead of a planned gathering involving Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and leading AI executives.
The White House has said its priority is maintaining US leadership in “super intelligence” while protecting consumers. The administration has also linked the pace of AI development to competition with China.
The Amodei-Trump dinner places one of the industry’s strongest voices on AI safety in direct discussion with an administration that has prioritised rapid technological development.
