President Trump told Time he left a private dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei with a more positive impression, a shift that could help ease friction after the Defense Department labeled Anthropic a supply‑chain risk. The meeting comes amid ongoing disputes over a Pentagon contract and Commerce Department export restrictions. Trump said he also has a favorable view of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and reiterated opposition to mandatory AI regulation while industry leaders call for slower development and stronger safeguards.
Trump Signals Softer Stance Toward Anthropic After Private Dinner With CEO Dario Amodei
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President Donald Trump said he emerged from a private dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei with a more favorable impression, a development that could ease tensions between the AI startup and the administration after the Defense Department earlier this year flagged the company as a supply‑chain risk.
In a Time Magazine interview published Thursday, Trump said he was impressed by Amodei and his wife, describing the CEO as highly intelligent and noting that the meeting changed his prior view, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The dinner, held on Sunday, was their first private one‑on‑one meeting amid ongoing disagreements between Anthropic and the Pentagon over a government contract.
The Commerce Department has also placed export restrictions on one of Anthropic’s advanced models, and those restrictions remain in effect as federal agencies weigh security concerns. A larger industry gathering the following Tuesday brought together leaders from several AI firms and U.S. technology companies to discuss the rapid pace of AI development and its potential societal impacts.
"If you're going to seek regulation, they can put you out of business. But my attitude is, we're winning against the world by a lot, and I want to keep winning," Trump told Time.
Trump reiterated his opposition to mandatory AI regulations, arguing that overly strict rules could hinder U.S. competitiveness and allow rivals such as China to close the gap. At the same time, industry leaders including Amodei have warned about potential risks from advanced AI systems and have advocated for a slower development pace and stronger safeguards.
When asked about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman—who did not attend the luncheon—Trump said he likes Altman and described the administration's engagement with high‑IQ tech leaders as pragmatic. He also pointed to the administration’s recent agreement with Intel as a possible model for government‑industry arrangements involving AI companies.
Why This Matters
The exchange illustrates the delicate balance U.S. policymakers are trying to strike between protecting national security and preserving American leadership in AI. A warmer personal rapport between the president and AI executives could ease tensions, but substantive disputes over contracts, export controls and regulation remain unresolved.
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