A federal judge has ruled in favor of artificial intelligence company Anthropic, blocking the Trump administration’s designation of the firm as a 'supply chain risk to national security.'
US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had cut ties with Anthropic in February over its refusal to permit unrestricted military use of its Claude AI model. This includes prohibitions on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.
Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California criticized the administration’s actions, stating they appear to be 'classic First Amendment retaliation' and 'an attempt to cripple Anthropic.' She also noted that the measures seemed arbitrary and capricious, particularly the use of a rare military authority typically reserved for foreign adversaries.
Anthropic has filed two lawsuits against the government. One seeks reconsideration of the supply chain risk designation, while the other alleges a violation of the company's First Amendment rights.
As a result of the injunction, Anthropic’s technology will remain accessible within the government and to external contractors until the legal disputes are resolved.