Google Officially Becomes Trump's Lackey, Signs Jumbo Contract in 2026
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has officially joined the list of tech giants signing contracts with the United States Department of Defense/War (DoD/Pentagon) in 2026. The contract relates to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) models for classified information, according to sources familiar with the matter.
This latest agreement enables the Pentagon to legally use Google’s AI tools for various government purposes. Previously, such clauses led to conflicts between the Pentagon and Anthropic, as the startup refused to allow its AI tools to be used for creating autonomous weapons or spying on US citizens.
Hundreds of Google employees previously sent an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai to stop cooperation with the US government in developing military AI. Among the hundreds of employees, there were more than 20 directors, senior directors, and vice presidents. There were also senior researchers from Google DeepMind, Google’s AI business unit.
In addition to Google, the Pentagon has also signed similar agreements with OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI. All are required to supply AI tools for classified or ‘top secret’ use.
For information, classified networks are used to handle various sensitive tasks, including mission planning and weapon targeting, quoted from Reuters, Wednesday (29/4/2026).
The Pentagon previously signed agreements worth around US$200 million (Rp3.4 trillion) for each AI lab in 2025, including for Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Reuters previously reported that the Pentagon has pressured tech giants like OpenAI and Anthropic to make their AI tools available on classified networks, without the restrictions imposed on general users.
Google’s latest agreement requires the company to help adjust the settings and security filters of its AI upon government request, according to a report from The Information.
The contract includes a clause stating, “the parties agree that the AI tools are not intended for, and shall not be used for, domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons (including target selection) without appropriate human supervision and control.”
However, the agreement also states that it does not give Google the right to control or veto legitimate government operational decision-making.
The US Department of Defense, now renamed the Department of War by President Donald Trump, declined to comment on the matter.
Google stated that it supports government agencies across classified and unclassified projects. A company spokesperson said that the company remains committed to the consensus that AI should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponisation without appropriate human oversight.
“We believe that providing API access to our commercial models, including on Google infrastructure, with standard industry practices and terms, is a responsible approach to supporting national security,” the Google spokesperson told Reuters.