Judge Blocks Pentagon Order Branding Anthropic ‘Security Risk’ in AI Fight
A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Pentagon from labeling AI company Anthropic a national security risk, halting a move that could reshape government control over artificial intelligence vendors.
The ruling intensifies a growing conflict between federal agencies and tech firms over how AI can be used in military operations.
According to Reuters and The Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Defense Department from enforcing its “supply-chain risk” designation against Anthropic while the case proceeds.
The Pentagon had cut ties with the company and directed contractors to stop using its Claude AI system after Anthropic refused to allow its tools to support surveillance or autonomous weapons programs.
That refusal triggered a broader crackdown, including efforts to block federal agencies from using the company’s technology.
Judge Lin raised new concerns about the government’s justification, pointing to evidence that the designation may have been retaliatory rather than security-driven.
“The record suggests the government’s actions were punitive,” Lin wrote in her opinion.
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The decision does not require the Pentagon to continue working with Anthropic, but it blocks officials from labeling the company a national security threat in ways that could damage its reputation and contracts.
The case highlights a deeper divide between Silicon Valley firms setting limits on AI use and federal agencies pushing for fewer restrictions in national defense.
It also raises constitutional questions about whether companies can be penalized for publicly opposing government policy.
The ruling is expected to face appeal, with a separate related case already moving through federal courts in Washington, D.C.
For now, the legal fight over who controls AI in national security is far from settled.
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