In a significant development for the artificial intelligence sector, the U.S. government on Friday granted Anthropic the green light to deploy its advanced Mythos 5 model to a curated list of around 100 companies and federal agencies. This pivotal decision, confirmed by CNBC, marks a crucial breakthrough in the two-week impasse between the Trump administration and the cutting-edge AI firm, which has been locked in intense negotiations over its latest models: Fable 5 and Mythos 5.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in a letter to Anthropic co-founder Tom Brown, stated, "I have determined that appropriate safeguards are in place to permit certain trusted partners to access the Claude Mythos 5 Model." Brown has reportedly stepped in to lead these sensitive discussions with the Trump administration, taking over from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
CEO of Anthropic Dario Amodei attends a working lunch with G7 leaders, G7 outreach partners and global tech CEOs on innovation and AI, during the G7 Summit on June 17, 2026, in Évian-les-Bains, France.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images
However, the Commerce Department's letter did not extend permission for Anthropic to restore access to its Fable 5 model, which remains under government scrutiny. Earlier this month, Anthropic had proactively disabled access to both Fable 5 and Mythos 5 in response to an export control directive issued by the government, citing "national security authorities." The directive specifically mandated the suspension of all access by foreign nationals, both within and outside the United States, including Anthropic's own foreign national employees.
This unexpected halt came just days after Anthropic proudly unveiled the new models, positioning them as state-of-the-art advancements across various industry benchmarks. Fable 5, in particular, was highlighted for its groundbreaking safeguards designed to prevent responses in high-risk scenarios, marking a first for Anthropic in releasing such an advanced public offering.
The regulatory landscape for AI is clearly evolving, with rival companies also navigating these new waters. Just prior to Anthropic's announcement, OpenAI revealed three new AI models – GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna – confirming its compliance with the U.S. government's request to initially restrict their rollout to a "small group of trusted partners." OpenAI conveyed its intention for broader access in the coming weeks and noted that it had previewed the models' capabilities and shared its deployment plans with the government ahead of their launch.
Anthropic, however, has faced a more turbulent journey with the Trump administration. Earlier in the year, the Department of Defense (DOD) locked horns with the company over disagreements concerning the use of its AI models. Following a breakdown in negotiations, the DOD controversially branded Anthropic a "supply chain risk" – a label typically reserved for foreign adversaries – implying the company posed a threat to U.S. national security. This designation now compels defense contractors to certify that they will refrain from utilizing Anthropic's Claude models in their military-related work. Anthropic has since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge this blacklisting, with the litigation still ongoing.
