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The U.S. military utilized Anthropic’s artificial intelligence tool, Claude, during the mission to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, as reported.
Last month, U.S. special operations forces apprehended Maduro along with his wife, with both being transported to the U.S. to confront serious narcotics charges.
Claude was deployed through Anthropic’s collaboration with the data analytics company Palantir Technologies, whose systems are extensively used by the Defense Department and federal law enforcement agencies, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the situation.
“We cannot confirm whether Claude, or any other AI model, was employed for any specific operation, classified or otherwise,” an Anthropic representative stated to Fox News Digital. “Any deployment of Claude—whether in the private sector or government—is mandated to adhere to our Usage Policies, which dictate how Claude may be applied. We collaborate closely with our partners to ensure adherence.”
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Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and money laundering, in New York City, U.S., January 5, 2026. (Adam Gray/Reuters)
Anthropic’s guidelines explicitly forbid the use of Claude for violent activities, weapon development, or surveillance.
A source acquainted with the situation informed Fox News Digital that Anthropic maintains insight into both classified and unclassified applications and is confident that all uses align with its usage policy and the compliance protocols of its partners.
When approached by Fox News Digital, the Department of War declined to comment.
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The U.S. military reportedly employed Anthropic’s AI tool, Claude, during the operation capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
According to the Journal, Anthropic became the first AI model developer integrated into classified operations by the Department of War.
Concerns about Claude’s application led Anthropic to engage with the Pentagon, with some officials from the Trump administration contemplating the cancellation of its $200 million contract, awarded the previous summer, as reported by the paper.
The AI tools have a range of applications, from summarizing documents to controlling autonomous drones, the outlet notes.
Emphasizing the importance of AI development, the Trump administration’s War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, stated in December, “the future of American warfare is here, and it’s spelled AI.”
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Anthropic’s AI model Claude was reportedly deployed in a classified U.S. military operation aimed at Nicolás Maduro. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
“As technology progresses, our adversaries also evolve,” he stated. “However, here at the War Department, we refuse to remain passive.”
