Judge Rules Trump Administration Still Hasn’t Provided Proof for Anthropic’s ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Designation
In a hearing on Thursday, a judge indicated that the Trump administration has not provided sufficient evidence to classify Anthropic as a supply chain threat and to prohibit the federal government from utilizing the company’s technology.
Reports from various news outlets, including Bloomberg and Axios, highlighted this development.
The conflict originates from stalled contract talks between Anthropic and the Department of Defense. Anthropic has expressed concerns over its AI being used for mass surveillance of citizens or in lethal targeting decisions, arguing that the technology is not yet mature enough. In response, the Pentagon asserted that a private entity should not dictate military technology usage, emphasizing that any applications would be conducted lawfully.
Additionally, the government has claimed that Anthropic’s public dissent towards the DoD justifies a ban—a rationale that U.S. District Judge Rita Lin described as “really troubling,” cautioning that it could create a dangerous precedent for retaliation against federal contractors who express differing opinions from the administration.
The DoD also argued that Anthropic might be able to deactivate or modify its AI systems during military operations, a statement that analysts have deemed unsubstantiated. Judge Lin concurred, asserting that there was no evidence to support the notion that Anthropic could alter a deployed model or engage a “kill switch.”
Thursday’s hearing was part of one of two lawsuits filed by Anthropic against the DoD in March, contesting the risk designation and resulting ban. A separate case is currently being addressed in Washington.
Judge Lin, who previously issued a temporary halt to the ban in March, is now deliberating whether to extend that order indefinitely.
