The Pentagon is severing ties with a major AI developer after a standoff over military access to artificial intelligence tools, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday, designating Anthropic a “Supply-Chain Risk to National Security.” In a lengthy X post, Hegseth stated in part: “Our position has never wavered and will never waver: the Department of War must have full, unrestricted access to Anthropic’s models for every LAWFUL purpose in defense of the Republic.” Hegseth said Anthropic and CEO Dario Amodei chose “duplicity,” accusing them of trying to “strong-arm the United States military into submission – a cowardly act of corporate virtue-signaling that places Silicon Valley ideology above American lives.” “Their true objective is unmistakable: to seize veto power over the operational decisions of the United States military,” the secretary said. “That is unacceptable.” The War Secretary added that “Anthropic’s stance is fundamentally incompatible with American principles,” and announced that, as a result of the company’s refusal to accede to the Pentagon’s demands, it would be designated a “supply-chain risk.” “Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic,” Hegseth stated, adding that the Pentagon and Anthropic will untangle their relationship over the next six months while the federal government transitions to a new AI partner. Hegseth’s announcement follows President Donald Trump’s statement earlier Friday, in which the president ordered “EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology.” Trump called Anthropic a “radical Left, woke company” whose “selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.” In January, the Department of War released a document outlining its strategies for AI dominance, which included the following statement: “The Department must also utilize models free from usage policy constraints that may limit lawful military applications.” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei released a statement of his own on Thursday as the negotiations were ongoing, stating that while he believes in utilizing artificial intelligence to defend the United States and push back against autocracies, in certain cases, AI could be used in opposition to such goals. Those cases, according to Amodei, are “mass domestic surveillance” and “fully autonomous weapons.” “AI-driven mass surveillance presents serious, novel risks to our fundamental liberties. … For example, under current law, the government can purchase detailed records of Americans’ movements, web browsing, and associations from public sources without obtaining a warrant, a practice the Intelligence Community has acknowledged raises privacy concerns and that has generated bipartisan opposition in Congress. Powerful AI makes it possible to assemble this scattered, individually innocuous data into a comprehensive picture of any person’s life—automatically and at massive scale,” Amodei said. As to fully autonomous weapons, the CEO acknowledged that such weapons may one day “prove critical,” but with current AI technology, “systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” The clash marks a dramatic rupture between the U.S. military and one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent AI firms, escalating a broader battle over who controls the future use of artificial intelligence in national defense.

President Donald Trump said Senator Ted Cruz could be Supreme Court nominee in the near future, praising the Texas Republican during a speech in Corpus Christi on Friday evening. Trump, who was once a fierce critic of Cruz, called the senator “an amazing guy” who is “so good and so talented.” “I’m thinking about putting him in the Supreme Court,” Trump said. “I’m thinking because it’s very hard, getting these nominations through is tough.” The president added that Cruz would receive “100%” of the Democratic and Republican vote, arguing that Cruz’s foes would “want to get him out of [the Senate]. He is such a pain in the ass.” Trump also floated the idea of a Cruz Supreme Court appointment during a speech last month, calling the senator a “brilliant legal mind.” Cruz, however, shot the proposal down in January. “My answer’s not just no, it’s hell no,” he said. “It is interesting in the first Trump term, the president talked to me about all three Supreme Court vacancies, and we had very serious conversations and I told him no all three times.” Cruz added that he wants to be “right in the middle” of political battles, something the Republican said a “principled federal judge” would stay out of. After completing law school, Cruz clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the Supreme Court from 1996 to 1997. Trump first discussed the idea of nominating Cruz to the Supreme Court with the senator privately after the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, according to Cruz. “I wrestled with it because I knew Justice Scalia and revered him,” Cruz added. “And to have the opportunity to succeed him, I mean, talk about taking your breath away.” While none of the Supreme Court justices have announced plans to retire anytime soon, there has been talk of either Samuel Alito or Clarence Thomas, the two oldest and most conservative justices, retiring within the next couple of years to give Trump a chance to replace either of them with another conservative. Thomas is 77-years-old and Alito is 75. Alito is set to release a book in early October, which has sparked rumors that the conservative justice could be hanging up his robe before the beginning of the Supreme Court’s next term, which also begins in October. Alito has served on the court for 20 years, while Thomas is the longest-tenured justice, nearing his 35th year on the high court. When asked about Thomas or Alito potentially retiring in the near future, Trump told POLITICO in December that he wants both of them to stay on the court. “Both of those men are fantastic,” he said. After Republicans successfully prevented former President Barack Obama from tapping Merrick Garland as Scalia’s replacement — thanks to the efforts of then-Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch in 2017. Trump went on to nominate two more justices, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, during his first term. Conservatives now have a 6-3 majority, but Trump has recently been frustrated with conservative justices, including Gorsuch, Coney Barrett, and Chief Justice John Roberts.

Tragedy struck the world of comedy again this week. Katherine Short, the 41-year-old daughter of legendary funnyman Martin Short, passed away on Feb. 23. Her passing came only weeks after comedienne Catherine O’Hara’s death at 71. Short and O’Hara have been making us laugh for decades without so much as an interruption. O’Hara’s turn as Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek” capped a career that included memorable turns in “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice” and other comedy classics. Short’s comedy resume is among the longest and the best in the business. And both got their start on “Second City Television” or “SCTV,” a show that has been perpetually overshadowed by a glossier American sketch comedy series. Yet, decades later, “SCTV’s” legacy is only getting bigger while “Saturday Night Live’s” continues to contract. Second City Entertainment. SCTV. IMDB. Short and O’Hara cut their comedy teeth as members of “SCTV,” a sketch comedy troupe that delivered laughs from north of the border. The show aired stateside starting in the late 1970s, but it never quite gained the cultural traction “SNL” enjoyed. The latter gave us superstars like Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, and Will Ferrell but those comedy titans came from endless cast iterations. For every standout like Dana Carvey or Bill Hader there were dozens whose “SNL” time turned into brief highlight reels. That wasn’t the case with “SCTV,” which ran from 1976 to 1984. The show’s small, fairly consistent cast featured talent after talent, and their post-show work shined as brightly as the best “SNL” alums. Maybe even brighter. SCTV. IMDB. The show’s cast came from Toronto’s edition of Second City, an improv group made famous for sparking NBC’s “SNL” series in 1975 (along with National Lampoon’s media empire). The Canadian series was built around a fictional TV studio, allowing for recurring comic characters and wacky sketches. It’s where Short perfected his Ed Grimley character – later seen on “SNL.” (Short graced both sketch comedy institutions, but “SNL” for only a single season (1984-85). Co-star Eugene Levy’s Bobby Bittman character exuded oily ‘70s smarm, while Joe Flaherty’s Count Floyd sent up horror movie hosts to perfection. Those characters endure, but so do the performers’ post-show resumes. Last year’s “I Like Me” documentary captured the short, remarkable life of “SCTV” alum John Candy. The husky comic died at 43, but not before leaving us with one indelible turn after another. He swiped scenes in “Home Alone,” “Vacation” and “Splash” while anchoring raucous comedies, including “Uncle Buck,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “Summer Rental.” 20th Century Fox. Hughes Entertainment. “Home Alone” Lovable with a pinch of sadness beneath his grin, Candy’s persona enhanced a crush of comedies before his 1994 death. “I Like Me” nailed both his comic gifts and ability to connect with audiences in ways many comedians never could. O’Hara’s comedy career ended with her most recent role in Apple TV+’s “The Studio,” the latest example of her versatility. And she didn’t need a script to make us howl. Recall her improv chops in four Christopher Guest “mockumentaries” – “For Your Consideration,” “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind.” Short’s film career wavered after a series of under-achieving comedies like “Three Amigos,” “Innerspace” and “Clifford,” but he never stopped working. Most recently, he’s anchored Hulu’s comedy series “Only Murders in the Building” alongside Steve Martin and Selena Gomez. Photo by Courtesy of Hulu. One “SCTV” alum’s career stalled, but only due to a deeply personal choice. Rick Moranis, so memorably in films like “Spaceballs,” “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Ghostbusters,” stepped away from Hollywood following the death of his wife in 1991. He tried to be both a working actor and single parent, but he realized he couldn’t do both without sacrificing key parts of the latter. So he left the business on his terms. Decades later, his return as Dark Helmut in the “Spaceballs” sequel, due in 2027, is one of the film’s biggest selling points. Moranis’ on-screen hoser/partner, Dave Thomas, never matched Moranis’ early fame. He still worked steadily over the years, bouncing from sitcom roles to writing gigs on shows like Fox’s “Bones.” Second City Entertainment. SCTV. IMDB. And the pair reunited for 1983’s “Strange Brew,” bringing their Bob and Doug characters to the big screen alongside Max Von Sydow. The film wasn’t a smash, but it swiftly became a cult classic. And deservedly so. Some “SCTV” alums shined even brighter behind the camera. Yes, Harold Ramis was one of the four core “Ghostbusters,” but he’s better known for directing “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog Day.” That, plus a series of strong supporting roles (“Knocked Up,” “As Good As It Gets”) complemented his impressive post-“SCTV” life until his death in 2014. “SCTV’s” Andrea Martin has enjoyed a blue-collar career following the show’s end, netting endless work, including a silly supporting role in the “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” franchise. She also found voice actor gigs and joined former “SCTV” chum Short on “Only Murders in the Building” since 2022. Second City Entertainment. SCTV. IMDB. And while we lost O’Hara this year, her “Schitt’s Creek” husband, the amiable Levy, keeps making us smile. Levy’s exhaustive film and TV career includes key turns in the aforementioned mockumentaries and the “American Pie” franchise. “SCTV” signed off for good in 1984, while “SNL” recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. That said, the latter keeps burning down its legacy with biased political gags and bland bits. The NBC show may still crank out a future star or two, but “SCTV’s” killer ratio of repertory players who made it big remains unmatched. * * * Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

President Donald Trump issued a blistering executive directive Friday, ordering all federal agencies to immediately begin a total phase-out of technology from Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI firm, after its leadership attempted to dictate terms to the United States military. The move comes as the administration continues its aggressive “America First” overhaul of the federal bureaucracy, including the newly rebranded Department of War. The president’s order effectively shuts out Anthropic—maker of the “Claude” chatbot—from the U.S. government, citing the company’s refusal to allow its technology to be used for “all lawful purposes” by American warfighters. In a characteristically bold statement on Truth Social, President Trump made it clear that private tech corporations will no longer hold veto power over national security. “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS!” Trump wrote. “That decision belongs to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF… The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War.” The President set a six-month deadline for agencies to migrate their systems away from Anthropic technology, warning that “major civil and criminal consequences” could follow if the company fails to cooperate during the transition. Sources indicate the tension reached a breaking point following the successful January operation to capture former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. While Claude was utilized for intelligence analysis during that mission, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei reportedly balked when the Pentagon sought to expand the AI’s role into “unrestricted” kinetic operations and enhanced surveillance. Amodei issued a defiant statement Thursday, claiming his company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the military’s demands. He cited self-imposed “red lines” regarding fully autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance—limitations the administration views as a direct challenge to the Constitutional authority of the Executive Branch. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been leading the charge to modernize the military’s tech stack, had previously issued an ultimatum to Anthropic: allow unrestricted military use or face the consequences. “We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said this week. Officials have signaled that Anthropic may be designated a “supply chain risk,” a label typically reserved for foreign adversaries like Huawei or TikTok. Such a designation would effectively freeze the company out of the private defense sector entirely. The move has sent shockwaves through the tech industry. While Elon Musk’s AI has positioned itself as the “anti-woke” alternative—with Musk himself stating that “Anthropic hates Western Civilization”—other industry leaders have circled the wagons. In a surprising turn, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sided with his rival Amodei, questioning the administration’s use of the Defense Production Act to force compliance. Meanwhile, internal friction is reportedly growing at Google and OpenAI, where hundreds of employees have signed an open letter supporting Anthropic’s “safeguards.” As the six-month phase-out begins, the administration is expected to shift its multi-million dollar AI contracts toward more cooperative partners. Both Elon Musk’s AI and Palantir, led by Alex Karp, are positioned to absorb the vacuum left by Anthropic’s exit. For the Trump administration, the message is clear: Silicon Valley’s “ethical guardrails” stop at the water’s edge when American lives and national security are on the line.

The veterans of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team are at it again. In a move that surprised absolutely no one, retired stars Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and the ever-defiant Megan Rapinoe spent the final week of February 2026 lashing out at the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team for the “crime” of showing a modicum of respect to President Donald Trump following their Olympic gold medal win. The controversy stems from a phone call where Trump invited the hockey champions to his State of the Union address. During the exchange, the president quipped that he would have to invite the women’s team as well or face “impeachment”—a joke that elicited laughter from the men’s locker room. That laughter was apparently too much for Wambach. On her podcast, “Welcome to the Party,” Wambach demanded the men “knock it all the (expletive) way off,” adding, “Stop (expletive) laughing at things that aren’t funny.” Foudy joined the chorus, suggesting the men should have staged a retaliatory boycott of the State of the Union to show “accountability.” Of course, no Trump-related sports “resistance” would be complete without Megan Rapinoe. Rapinoe, who has spent the better part of a decade using the American flag as a prop for her personal grievances, resurfaced during a Wednesday news conference to blast the “wretched phone call.” This is, after all, the same Rapinoe who famously dubbed herself a “walking protest” and once told a magazine, “I’m not going to the f*cking White House.” For Rapinoe, the national anthem isn’t a moment of unity, but an opportunity for a “good ‘F you'” to an administration she finds “disturbing.” While she claims to represent America, her brand of “patriotism” usually involves refusing to place her hand over her heart while reaping the “American privilege” provided by the very country she disparages. While the soccer stars were busy trying to burn bridges, the hockey players were actually busy being Americans. By February 26, the reaction from the men’s locker room was divided. Stars like Jack Hughes refused to apologize regarding the manufactured drama, stating plainly, “Everything is so political. We’re athletes, we’re proud to represent the U.S. – When you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the President, no matter what your views are, we’re excited.” His brother, Quinn Hughes, echoed the sentiment, saying, “I don’t know how much we’re allowed to say, but yes. Yeah, we’re excited to go. It’s something you don’t get to do … every Tuesday. It’s going to be special for us.” Meanwhile, players like Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman eventually bent the knee to the sports-media complex, issuing the now-obligatory “apologies” for their laughter. To the soccer “resistance,” a gold medal isn’t enough; players must also adopt the correct political posture or face the wrath of the podcasting “elite.”