GoKawiilOpenAI, Anthropic hire former Trump administration officials for senior roles
Anthropic has appointed at least two former Trump officials this year, including one to its board and another to lead its frontier compute strategy, while OpenAI has hired at least three ex-administration officials for strategy and special projects. The hiring comes as AI companies seek closer ties to the Trump White House amid regulatory pressure and security concerns, following a court ruling that upheld a Pentagon designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
A national security fellow quoted by CNBC suggests companies are hiring politically connected figures because the administration controls levers like procurement, export controls and supply-chain designations that can directly affect their businesses. This pattern could indicate AI firms view political access as a competitive necessity rather than optional lobbying, especially after Anthropic's clash with the Pentagon showed the real costs of friction with Washington.
- Anthropic has hired at least two former Trump officials in 2025, including a board member.
- OpenAI has hired at least three former Trump administration figures for strategy roles.
- A federal appeals court upheld a Pentagon supply-chain risk designation against Anthropic in September.
Source: cnbc.com — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, 2026-10-09
Published there as: “OpenAI and Anthropic poach Trump officials as industry fights for Washington’s trust”
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