The U.S. military reportedly utilized Anthropic’s AI tool, Claude, during the high-profile operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, as detailed in a recent report.
In a significant development last month, U.S. special operations forces successfully detained Maduro and his wife. The couple was subsequently extradited to the United States to face extensive charges related to narcotics trafficking.
The deployment of Claude was facilitated through Anthropic’s collaboration with Palantir Technologies, a data firm whose tools are extensively employed by the Department of Defense and federal law enforcement agencies, according to The Wall Street Journal. The information was sourced from individuals familiar with the operation.
When approached for comment, an Anthropic spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We are unable to confirm whether Claude or any other AI model was used in any specific operation, classified or otherwise. Any application of Claude, whether in the private sector or within government entities, must adhere to our Usage Policies, which govern the permissible use of Claude. We maintain close partnerships to ensure these policies are followed.”
Nicolas Maduro, the captured Venezuelan president, was escorted to the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan for an initial court appearance. He faces multiple U.S. federal charges, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and money laundering, as seen in New York City on January 5, 2026. (Adam Gray/Reuters)
It’s important to note that Anthropic’s usage guidelines strictly prohibit Claude’s use in activities related to violence, weapons development, or surveillance.
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Anthropic has visibility into classified and unclassified usage and has confidence that all usage has been in line with Anthropic’s usage policy, as well as its partners’ own compliance policies.
Reached by Fox News Digital, the Department of War declined to comment.
The U.S. military reportedly used Anthropic’s AI tool Claude during the operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Anthropic was the first AI model developer to be used in classified operations by the Department of War, according to the Journal.
Anthropic has raised concerns about how Claude can be used by the Pentagon, prompting officials within the Trump administration to consider canceling its contract worth up to $200 million, which was awarded last summer, the paper reported.
The AI tools can be used for everything from summarizing documents to controlling autonomous drones, the outlet noted.
The Trump administration has prioritized AI development, and in December War Secretary Pete Hegseth said “the future of American warfare is here, and it’s spelled AI.”
Anthropic’s artificial-intelligence model Claude was reportedly used in a classified U.S. military operation targeting Nicolás Maduro. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
“As technologies advance, so do our adversaries,” he said. “But here at the War Department, we are not sitting idly by.”
