A federal judge has ruled in favor of Anthropic in its complex legal battle with the Trump administration, granting the tech company an injunction against the government’s recent order that labeled it a “supply chain risk,” as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California instructed the Trump administration on Thursday to revoke its recent designation of Anthropic as a security risk and to withdraw its directive for federal agencies to sever ties with the company.
“It looks like an attempt to cripple Anthropic,” Lin reportedly stated during the court proceedings. Lin argued that the government’s orders violated free speech protections for the company.
The conflict between the Pentagon and Anthropic began last month over disagreements regarding guidelines for the government’s use of the AI company’s software. Anthropic had reportedly sought to impose certain restrictions on how the government could use its AI models, such as prohibiting their use in autonomous weapons systems or mass surveillance. The government opposed those restrictions and subsequently labeled the company a supply chain risk—a label typically given to foreign actors. President Trump further ordered federal agencies to cut ties with the company.
Subsequently, Anthropic filed a lawsuit against the agency, alongside Hegseth.
In recent weeks, the White House has been criticizing the company, describing it as “a radical-left, woke company” that endangers America’s “national security.” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has described the Defense Department’s actions as “retaliatory and punitive.”
Following Judge Lin’s decision, Anthropic provided TechCrunch with a statement: “We’re grateful to the court for moving swiftly, and pleased they agree Anthropic is likely to succeed on the merits. 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.”
TechCrunch has also contacted the White House for comment.