Trump administration forces Anthropic to pull two latest AI models; experts warn of security risks

The Trump administration on Friday sent an order to AI company Anthropic, citing national security concerns, forcing it to immediately pull two of its newest models—Fable 5 and Mythos 5—from public access. The order provided no specific details about the threats but stated that the models must not be available to foreign nationals. Since many of Anthropic's employees are foreign, the company decided to remove the models entirely.

Reports indicate that the White House was tipped off by Amazon researchers who allegedly found a way to bypass Fable 5's guardrails. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy raised these concerns with the administration. The order came at a time when the administration was simultaneously trying to negotiate a ceasefire in the Iran war.

Cybersecurity experts have signed an open letter asking President Trump to revoke the order, calling it dangerous because it strips U.S. network defenders of advanced cybersecurity capabilities. Anthropic noted that similar vulnerabilities may exist in other AI models.

Analysts note that Anthropic's relationship with the Trump administration has been strained, and this move may be partly retaliatory. However, some believe the controversy could benefit the company: after a previous clash with the administration, downloads of Anthropic's Claude surged, and the company gained a "rebel" image. The ban could also create the impression that Anthropic's models are so powerful they need to be restricted, potentially sparking even greater interest.