Key facts
- The Trump administration denied unlawfully retaliating against AI company Anthropic.
- The government acknowledged agencies restricted Anthropic's products after it refused Pentagon demands on military use of its AI.
- Anthropic sued, alleging the blacklisting violated its free speech and due process rights.
- The Department of Justice challenged the lawsuit on procedural grounds, stating the ban is not subject to court review.
- A federal judge had previously temporarily blocked the Pentagon's blacklisting of Anthropic.
The Trump administration has denied unlawfully retaliating against AI company Anthropic, according to a court filing. The government acknowledged that U.S. agencies moved to restrict Anthropic's products after the company resisted Pentagon demands concerning the military applications of its Claude chatbot. Anthropic had filed a lawsuit in March, accusing President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of blacklisting the company for protected speech and violating its free speech and due process rights.
The Department of Justice also argued in San Francisco federal court that the ban is not subject to judicial review, as Anthropic is not challenging a "final agency action." U.S. District Judge Rita Lin had previously issued a temporary block on the Pentagon's blacklisting of the AI firm.
The dispute is seen as a test case for the administration's authority over businesses and the control of AI technology usage. Anthropic also has a separate lawsuit pending in Washington, D.C., related to another Pentagon designation that could affect its eligibility for civilian government contracts. The company announced on June 1 that it has confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the U.S.