Exclusive: Trump tells "The Axios Show" that Anthropic was a national security threat

President Trump reached the point last week of viewing Anthropic as a national security threat, he said in an exclusive interview for "The Axios Show," though he signaled that relations have improved since.

Why it matters: National security concerns and personality clashes landed AI heavyweight Anthropic in the middle of a government crackdown with domestic and international repercussions. Between the Commerce Department's imposition of sweeping export controls and the Pentagon's designating it a supply chain risk, the company has faced treatment typically reserved for foreign adversaries.

What they're saying: Axios' Marc Caputo asked Trump in a wide-ranging White House interview if he viewed Anthropic, or CEO Dario Amodei, as a threat to national security. "Well, not now, but a week ago, maybe," the president said. But he said he walked away from the G7 summit with the impression that Amodei was "nice" and "smart." "He responded to us very quickly because you know it's a tremendous liability," Trump said. "People get put in prison immediately for that. You can't play games with that. And he responded very responsibly, I thought."

Catch up quick: Last week the Trump administration restricted any country outside of the U.S., and foreign nationals within the U.S., from accessing Anthropic's most advanced models. A report from Amazon detailing a vulnerability alarmed the administration, which took it to Anthropic leadership but felt dismissed. Technical discussions in Washington ensued. The two sides are now reportedly working on standards to evaluate AI jailbreaks. For Anthropic, it's been a matter of learning how to communicate with the administration as much as reaching an understanding on how the technology works.

Yes, but: Trump did not rule out leveraging emergency powers under the Defense Production Act if the AI lab did not get in line, as was previously threatened during a dispute with the Pentagon. "I have the power to use a lot of things," Trump said of the DPA. "But I'm not sure I have to do that." "It was a competitor and a part owner that turned Anthropic in. They didn't like what they were doing. They were very concerned," Trump said of the concerns raised by Amazon. "I think so far it's been very responsible."