Besent: Anthropic will be out of Treasury Systems within days

Besent: Anthropic will be out of Treasury Systems within days

Treasury Department to Discontinue Anthropic AI Tools Amid Broader Agency Shifts

The U.S. Treasury Department announced on March 2, 2026, that it will terminate all use of artificial intelligence tools developed by Anthropic, including its flagship Claude platform, with Secretary Scott Bessent confirming the decision via a public social media post. The move, effective within days, marks a significant shift in federal agency adoption of AI technologies and follows similar actions by other departments.

Bessent's statement emphasized the Treasury's commitment to aligning with evolving operational priorities, though specific reasons for the decision were not disclosed. The department's reliance on Anthropic's tools—used for tasks such as data analysis and document processing— will transition to alternative platforms, though details about replacements remain unpublicized.

This action aligns with broader federal efforts to reassess AI vendor partnerships. For instance, the State Department recently announced a switch to OpenAI's services, signaling a potential trend toward consolidating AI tools among U.S. agencies. Analysts note that such shifts may reflect strategic, security, or cost-related considerations, though no official explanations have been provided.

Anthropic has not yet issued a public response to the Treasury's decision. The company, known for its focus on safety and ethical AI development, has maintained contracts with multiple government entities since 2022. Market reactions to the news have been muted, with Anthropic's parent company's stock showing minimal volatility as of March 4.

The Treasury's rapid phaseout of Anthropic's tools underscores the dynamic nature of AI procurement in the public sector. As agencies continue to evaluate vendor relationships, stakeholders will likely monitor how these changes impact efficiency, innovation, and budgetary allocations.

(https://www.reuters.com/business/us-treasury-ending-all-use-anthropic-products-says-bessent-2026-03-02/): Reuters, Yahoo Finance (March 2, 2026).