Is Mythos too powerful to resist? The White House plans to bypass the risk designation and let Anthropic "return."

A dramatic turning point is emerging in the standoff between Anthropic and the U.S. federal government.

According to Axios, the White House is drafting executive guidance that would allow federal agencies to bypass previous supply chain risk designations against Anthropic and access the company’s artificial intelligence products, including the latest flagship model, Mythos.

Sources revealed that a preliminary draft of an executive order in the works would provide the Trump administration a pathway to ease relations with Anthropic. The move has been described by insiders as a way for the White House to “save face and bring them back.”

This shift is significant. Experts have assessed Mythos as potentially capable of identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities and designing methods to exploit them, and federal agencies are racing to obtain access. Meanwhile, Trump stated in a CNBC interview last week that Anthropic is “back on track” in the eyes of his administration, and said it’s “possible” to reach a deal with the Pentagon.

From “removal” to “reintegration”: White House’s rapid change of stance

This move by the White House marks a stark contrast to its previous position. The Pentagon and the White House once jointly blacklisted Anthropic. However, the launch of Mythos has begun to reverse the situation.

According to Axios, the White House is convening companies from multiple industries this week to consult on potential executive orders and best practices for deploying Mythos, including “tabletop exercises” to simulate the possible overturning of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance prohibiting government use of Anthropic.

Earlier this month, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, with both sides describing the meeting as a productive preliminary engagement exploring the possibilities of cooperation between the company and the government.

The White House stated: “The White House continues to proactively engage with government and industry stakeholders to protect the nation and the American people, including collaborating with leading AI laboratories. The concerted effort of all parties will ultimately benefit our economy and country.” Anthropic declined to comment.

Root of the dispute: an unsigned agreement

The crux of the controversy stems from Anthropic’s refusal to sign an agreement that would allow the Pentagon to use its Claude model for “all lawful purposes.” Anthropic insisted the agreement explicitly prohibit using its model for large-scale domestic surveillance or the development of fully autonomous weaponry.

The Pentagon viewed this stance as evidence that Anthropic is not a reliable partner, and issued an unprecedented supply chain risk designation. Currently, the Pentagon can still use Claude, which is integrated into highly sensitive systems, but both sides agree the current service terms are overly restrictive and the Pentagon cannot access the latest updated version of the model.

In contrast, OpenAI and Google have both signed agreements allowing the Pentagon to use their models in classified environments for “all lawful purposes,” though both companies insist their contracts also respect the same two red lines defined by Anthropic.

The strategic value of Mythos: defense and threat in tandem

The key variable driving the White House’s change of attitude is the remarkable capabilities demonstrated by Mythos. Experts note the model’s potential to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and design methods to exploit them, which is rare in the field of AI.

This capability has a dual nature—it can be used for automated cyberattacks or serve as a powerful tool for defenders. According to Axios, the National Security Agency (NSA) is already using Mythos, and federal agencies are increasingly eager to gain access to the model.

It is this strategic value that has led some insiders in the Pentagon and other government stakeholders to believe that an ongoing confrontation with Anthropic is not worthwhile and to seek a way out of the dispute.

Uncertain prospects: easing or renewed confrontation?

Despite clear signals of reconciliation from the White House, it remains highly uncertain whether this executive guidance will fundamentally resolve the dispute.

According to Axios, it is unclear whether these measures will address the core disagreements between the Pentagon and Anthropic, or simply facilitate cooperation between Anthropic and other government agencies. Even if the Pentagon eventually lifts the supply chain risk designation—as some Pentagon insiders and Anthropic representatives believe is inevitable—the fundamental differences over contract terms remain.

Insiders warn that both sides could re-enter intense negotiations. For investors and the market, the substantive progress of this policy shift and whether Anthropic can return to the federal procurement system without compromising its core principles are core variables worth closely monitoring.

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