A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from treating artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a national security threat, handing the firm a significant legal victory in its clash with the Defense Department.
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin granted the preliminary injunction Thursday, pausing the Pentagon's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk. The ruling stops enforcement of a policy that would force any company doing business with the Defense Department to sever ties with the AI startup.
Lin's order took direct aim at the rationale behind the designation. The judge wrote that the governing statute contains nothing that would allow the government to brand an American company "a potential adversary and saboteur of the U.S. for expressing disagreement with the government." The language echoed concerns raised during earlier hearings, where Lin questioned why the administration pursued such a broad punishment when it could simply stop using Anthropic's Claude software internally.
Anthropic argued the designation was inflicting immediate harm as federal agencies removed Claude from their systems and commercial partners reconsidered existing contracts. The company framed the preliminary injunction as protection against ongoing reputational damage and as providing reassurance to its business partners.
The Pentagon defended its position in court by contending that public statements from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump lack legal standing and therefore don't create irreparable injury. The administration's broader argument rested on national security grounds.
Anthropic has mounted challenges on two fronts, with a parallel case proceeding in federal court in Washington. Both lawsuits contend the Pentagon violated the First Amendment and federal procurement law.
In a statement, Anthropic said the company was grateful for the swift judicial action. "While this case was necessary to protect Anthropic, our customers, and our partners, our focus remains on working productively with the government to ensure all Americans benefit from safe, reliable AI," a spokesperson said.
The clash represents an unusual confrontation between a major AI company and the Trump administration, one that centers on free speech and the limits of government power to regulate private sector relationships with Pentagon contractors.
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