IT之家 · IT业界 · 10/14/2026, 07:07:38
Anthropic Seeks En Banc Review to Challenge US Government's AI Supply Chain Risk Designation
Anthropic has petitioned the full DC Circuit Court of Appeals to review a ruling upholding its designation as a national security supply chain risk, arguing the move was retaliatory for its public AI safety advocacy. The case hinges on defining control over AI safety guardrails between the government and private developers, with potential implications for federal procurement policies.
SOURCE COVERAGEFull Original Report
On October 14, Bloomberg reported that Anthropic is urging a federal appeals court in Washington to reconsider a prior ruling that upheld the Trump administration’s decision to designate the AI company as a risk to U.S. national security supply chains.
The company filed a request on Tuesday local time for an en banc review by the full appellate court of a September 25 decision made by a three-judge panel, which ruled 2-1 against Anthropic. The company argues that the majority opinion misinterpreted the law, allowing the Department of Defense (DoD) to act "without any pre-determination process, and with clear evidence that this designation was retaliation for Anthropic’s public statements on AI safety."
This legal battle between Anthropic and the government carries significant stakes. At a critical juncture in AI development, the courts must determine whether the federal government or private enterprises hold control over AI safety mechanisms. Domestic developers are racing to release state-of-the-art AI models while proving to investors that the technology can be profitable.
Anthropic’s public dispute with the Trump administration began earlier this year after contract negotiations regarding military use of its AI technology fell apart.
The company had sought assurances that its technology would not be used for mass surveillance of U.S. citizens or for the deployment of autonomous weapons. However, the U.S. side stated that, due to national security considerations, it could not accept any restrictions on how the technology is used.
In March, the DoD notified Anthropic that the company and its products were designated as risks to the U.S. supply chain, requiring all federal agencies to withdraw business directives related to the firm. Such risk designations have historically been applied only to companies from nations the U.S. views as adversaries.
Anthropic filed two lawsuits against the government: one in California challenging the DoD’s directive for federal agencies to cease cooperation with the company, and another at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals questioning the legality of the risk designation itself.
In the San Francisco case, Anthropic prevailed. In August, U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin ordered the government to lift the ban on federal agencies using Anthropic’s technology. She emphasized that the DoD’s actions appeared motivated by retaliation rather than legitimate security concerns.
However, in the Washington case, the three-judge panel ruled on September 25 that the government’s designation was lawful.
Judge Gregory Katsas, writing for the majority, stated that the DoD had "reasonable grounds to fear that Anthropic might modify the design of its Claude models to prevent them from performing national security tasks that the DoD deems within the scope of contractual authorization and necessary."
IT Home notes that the case is titled Anthropic v. U.S. Department of Defense, Case No. 26-01049, heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (Washington).