Pentagon Issues Ultimatum to Anthropic as CEO Dario Amodei’s Net Worth Soars to $7 Billion

Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei saw his personal fortune jump to $7 billion after the company’s valuation hit $380 billion, according to Storyboard18. The surge comes as the Pentagon pressed the firm for unrestricted access to its Claude model, threatening to invoke the Defense Production Act if Anthropic does not comply by Friday, Reuters reported.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Amodei and delivered the ultimatum, saying the government would label Anthropic a supply‑chain risk and could conscript its technology for national‑security production, the same source added. The demand coincides with Anthropic’s rollout of a new safety policy, “RSP 3.0,” and the launch of an enterprise‑plugin ecosystem that analysts say could unlock significant market value, as noted in the Zecheng Intel Daily brief.

Anthropic has pushed back, refusing to grant the Pentagon unrestricted Claude access. TechCrunch cited company insiders saying the firm is “digging in its heels” and negotiating terms that protect its AI safety standards. Reuters confirmed the stalemate, adding that the Pentagon may consider additional regulatory steps if a deal is not reached.

The showdown highlights the growing tension between U.S. defense priorities and private AI developers. With Anthropic now the only AI firm running on classified military systems, the Pentagon’s leverage is limited, but the threat of a Defense Production Act order underscores the administration’s willingness to use wartime powers to secure technology, according to the Reuters piece.

If Anthropic complies, it could cement its role as a strategic partner to the Department of Defense, potentially opening new revenue streams. If it resists, the company risks being black‑listed from future contracts and facing heightened scrutiny, a risk that both Reuters and TechCrunch say could reshape the competitive landscape for AI suppliers to the government.