Trump Administration Defends Pentagon Blacklisting of AI Firm Anthropic in Court Filing

The dispute centers on a March 3 decision by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to designate Anthropic as a national security supply chain risk. The company, known for developing the AI assistant Claude, was flagged after it declined to remove safeguards preventing its technology from being used in autonomous weapons systems or domestic surveillance programs. Per Reuters, the administration contends that Anthropic’s refusal was a matter of conduct rather than protected speech, undermining its constitutional claims.

In the court filing, the U.S. Justice Department argued that Anthropic is unlikely to succeed in its lawsuit, which alleges violations of First Amendment rights. According to Reuters, government lawyers stated that the dispute arises from contractual and national security considerations, not retaliation against the company’s views or policies. The filing emphasized that no restrictions had been placed on Anthropic’s ability to express itself.

Anthropic has challenged the designation in federal court in California, seeking to block the Pentagon’s action while litigation proceeds. Some legal analysts, according to Reuters, believe the company may have a strong argument that the government exceeded its authority in imposing the restriction.

Read more: Anthropic Sues Pentagon to Block National Security Blacklist Over AI Restrictions

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In response to the filing, Anthropic said it is reviewing the government’s arguments. The company maintained that pursuing legal action does not alter its broader commitment to responsible AI development and national security, but described the lawsuit as necessary to safeguard its operations and stakeholders, per Reuters.

The White House has not issued an immediate response to requests for comment.

President Donald Trump has publicly supported the Pentagon’s decision, which bars Anthropic from certain military contracts. According to Reuters, company executives have warned that the designation could harm its reputation and potentially lead to billions of dollars in losses this year.

The conflict follows months of negotiations between Anthropic and the Pentagon that ultimately broke down. Per Reuters, both Trump and Hegseth criticized the company, accusing it of putting American lives at risk by maintaining restrictions on how its technology can be deployed.

Anthropic has rejected those claims, stating that current AI systems are not sufficiently safe for use in autonomous weapons and reiterating its opposition to domestic surveillance on principle, according to Reuters.

In its March 9 lawsuit, Anthropic described the government’s action as “unprecedented and unlawful,” arguing that it violated both free speech and due process protections. The company also claims the decision failed to follow required federal procedures, per Reuters.

Separately, the Pentagon has labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk under another legal authority, a move that could extend restrictions across the federal government. According to Reuters, Anthropic is contesting that designation in a second lawsuit filed in a Washington, D.C., appeals court.

Source: Reuters