Trump: Do Not Want to Shut Down or Take Over Anthropic, U.S. Leads Significantly in AI Field Compared to Other Countries

In an interview with Axios on June 20, U.S. President Donald Trump said artificial intelligence (AI) could act as a weapon if misused, but when deployed properly, it would be a major game-changer—potentially exceeding the scale of the internet. He noted AI could help humanity develop cures for certain diseases 25 years earlier than would otherwise be possible, though he stressed that careful caution is required. When asked whether he viewed Anthropic and its CEO Dario Amodei as a national security threat, Trump replied, "Not anymore, but maybe a week ago." He added that he had just met with Amodei, who gave a speech at the G7 summit and had promptly responded to government requests. Trump stated that Anthropic has acted very responsibly so far. On the topic of whether the U.S. might shut down or take over Anthropic, Trump said he was hesitant to do so, citing that the U.S. is significantly ahead of China in the AI space. He proposed that AI companies build their own power plants, given the massive electricity demands of AI systems. He emphasized that the benefits of AI outweigh its downsides, and the government will identify and prevent any negative aspects. When asked about using the Defense Production Act to regulate or control AI, Trump noted he would use that authority if necessary, though it’s currently unclear whether such a step is needed. He also mentioned France proposed establishing an international organization at the G7, asking the U.S. to share more AI technology. However, Trump said the core issue for the U.S. is that "we are too far ahead of everyone else."