Anthropic, the AI company, has invested over $200 million in political contributions since the 2020 election, mostly favoring Democrats. Its CEO, Dario Amodei, has openly criticized former President Trump, reflecting a broader clash between the company and the previous administration.
Since the 2020 elections, Anthropic’s leadership and staff have poured more than $200 million into political initiatives. Surprisingly, only about $335,000—roughly 0.16%—went to Republican causes, with none directed towards Trump. The clear majority, about 99.8%, supported Democrats, with significant donations going to figures like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton.
The distribution of contributions reveals notable political divides. Employees of Anthropic have contributed nearly $998,000 since 2020, with around $820,000 (about 82%) going to Democratic candidates. Notably, early investor Dustin Moskowitz has given around $110 million during this period, including $2.3 million to Biden and more than $103 million for Harris. Amodei himself has donated $103,600, almost entirely to Biden and Harris, while board member Reed Hastings contributed $20 million, including $7 million to a pro-Harris super PAC.
Amodei’s public criticisms of Trump are particularly striking. Back in 2018, he labeled Trump a “serious and legitimate threat to the rule of law” and urged Americans to “vote against this clown.” More recently, ahead of the upcoming 2024 election, he referred to Trump as a “feudal warlord” in a now-removed Facebook post, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over national concerns and expressed support for Harris.
After Trump’s presidency began, Amodei notably skipped a White House tech event that OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Google’s Sundar Pichai attended.
In October 2025, Jack Clark, a co-founder and policy head at Anthropic, published an essay titled “Technological Optimism and Appropriate Fear.” He emphasized the rapid advancement of AI technology and the dangers of ignoring potential risks, expressing a mix of optimism about development while acknowledging uncertainty about safe outcomes.
David Sachs, identified as Trump’s AI and crypto advisor, criticized Anthropic, claiming it used fear to manipulate regulatory processes. He accused the company of being largely responsible for the ongoing regulatory panic affecting startups.
Sachs further alleged that Anthropic was attempting to sneak in AI regulations through states like California. In response, Amodei sought to clarify what he termed “inaccurate claims” about Anthropic, insisting that the company shares common objectives with leaders across the political landscape, regardless of their views.
The company found itself at odds with the Trump administration over military applications of its AI technology. Anthropic declined to make its models available for unrestricted government use, prioritizing safeguards against fully autonomous weapons systems and surveillance of citizens. This disagreement intensified after Trump took office, leading to a federal agency’s demands for an immediate halt to the use of Anthropic’s technology, branding it as a “radical leftist, crazy company.”
On February 27, 2026, Amodei addressed around 2,000 employees, discussing the administration’s political motivations. In a message, he suggested that part of what upset the Trump administration about Anthropic was their refusal to donate to Trump while other AI companies had.
By March 4, 2026, the Defense Department publicly labeled Anthropic as having “supply chain risks to national security,” a classification typically reserved for foreign adversaries, marking a concerning first for a U.S. company.
During this period, the company faced backlash from influential tech figures as well. Elon Musk criticized Anthropic following its announcement of a $30 billion funding round that pushed its valuation to $380 billion. He described the AI as “misanthropic and evil,” making pointed remarks online about the reported biases in the technology.
Musk added a layer of mockery regarding Anthropic’s name, suggesting it was ironic for a company promoting humanity to be perceived in a negative light due to its practices and decisions. He concluded with observations on irony, reflecting on the unfortunate implications of the company’s chosen identity.
