Pete Hegseth on AI
2 quotes from Pete Hegseth on the wall, 2026, newest first. Each one is verbatim and links to where it was said. Sources include Gizmodo, thezvi.substack.com.
We will become an AI-first warfighting force across all domains
US Secretary of Defense/War Pete Hegseth, in a Pentagon press release, January 2026, on military AI ambitions.
What it refers to
The statement reflects Pentagon plans for agentic AI systems like the ECHOTRIBBLE program, built to autonomously navigate networks and neutralize threats.
Other voices
- Making autonomous AI systems with a mandate to neutralize threats is incredibly dangerousDavid Krueger20 October 2026
- Full-scale battlefield robotisationMykhailo FedorovPolitician26 September 2026
- I think of all agents as insider riskSatya NadellaBuilder18 October 2026
- Our nation can't afford to loseMatt GarmanBuilder9 October 2026
GizmodoDocuments Reveal Military Plan for Agentic AI That Hacks U.S. Adversaries
A master class in arrogance and betrayal
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's public statement, February 27 2026, condemning Anthropic after it refused to grant the Pentagon unrestricted access to its AI models.
What it refers to
Anthropic's refusal to drop safeguards against mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons uses in its Pentagon contract.
Other voices
- We cannot in good conscience accede to their requestDario AmodeiBuilder27 February 2026
- This is Big Brother on steroids & it should scare the hell out of usChris Van Hollen27 February 2026
- It was all theatreGary MarcusResearcher28 February 2026
- The dawning of authoritarian AISteven Adler26 February 2026
thezvi.substack.comAnthropic and the DoW: Anthropic Responds