Anthropic, the AI technology firm behind Claude, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The company claims that the military’s classification of it as a ‘supply chain risk’ is an unlawful retaliation following its refusal to permit unrestricted military use of its technology.
On Monday, Anthropic filed suit in a California federal court against various government agencies and officials, challenging the Department of Defense’s decision.
The company is also seeking to contest a directive from President Donald Trump that effectively prohibited federal employees from utilizing the Claude software. Further, Anthropic has filed another lawsuit in a Washington D.C. appeals court regarding the Pentagon’s ruling.
“These actions are unprecedented and unlawful,” Anthropic stated. “The Constitution does not allow the government to misuse its power to retaliate against a company for exercising its free speech.”
The Pentagon’s Labeling Explained
Previously, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, included in the lawsuit, designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk on March 3. This means that any entity collaborating with the military is barred from partnering with Anthropic.
This is the first instance where a US company has received this designation—typically reserved for foreign adversaries. Anthropic’s AI technology has been in use with the government and the Pentagon since 2024, marking it as the first AI implemented in classified work.
Anthropic alleged that Hegseth’s move followed demands for the company to eliminate its restrictions on usage, which consist of limitations against lethal autonomous warfare and the mass surveillance of citizens, both of which had been included in previous contracts.
“Anthropic has never tested Claude for those uses,” the company noted in its filings. “We do not have confidence that Claude would operate reliably in scenarios involving lethal operations.”
The lawsuit also implicates several high-profile government figures, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside 17 other officials from different agencies. A coalition of over 30 AI experts from OpenAI and Google, including chief scientist Jeff Dean, have also submitted a legal brief supporting Anthropic’s case.
