A U.S. judge has said the Trump administration has not yet provided enough evidence to justify classifying Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" and blocking the company's technology from federal use.
At a Thursday hearing, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin expressed skepticism over the government's case, which grew out of stalled contract talks between Anthropic and the Department of Defense. The company has argued that its AI should not be used for mass surveillance or for decisions involving targeting and weapons fire, saying the technology is not ready for those roles.
The Pentagon has maintained that a private company should not control how military tools are deployed and said it would use the systems in lawful ways. It also pointed to Anthropic's public criticism of the department, a rationale Lin described as deeply concerning because it could discourage federal contractors from speaking openly.
Another government claim -- that Anthropic could alter or disable its models during operations -- was also met with doubt. Lin said she saw no proof that the company could change a delivered model or activate a hidden shutdown mechanism.
The hearing is part of one of two lawsuits Anthropic filed in March to challenge the ban and the risk designation. Lin had already paused the restriction earlier this year and is now considering whether that order should become permanent.
This case may help shape how governments and AI companies define trust, accountability, and responsible deployment in the next era of public-sector technology.
