Judge says Pentagon’s Anthropic ban looks like ‘attempt to cripple’ company

A federal judge in California has criticized the Pentagon's decision to designate Anthropic, an artificial intelligence company, as a supply chain risk, with U.S. District Judge Rita Lin suggesting the move appears designed to "cripple" the firm. Lin's skepticism during Tuesday's hearing indicates judicial concern that the Defense Department's determination may lack solid legal or factual grounding. The ruling is significant because it could undermine the Pentagon's effort to restrict or sever ties with Anthropic, potentially forcing the department to justify its rationale or reverse course. Anthropic, which develops large language models, has become a flashpoint in broader debates over AI oversight and the Trump administration's industrial policy. The case will likely shape how federal agencies can leverage supply chain authorities to control access to critical technologies.