Trump administration defends Anthropic blacklisting in US court

The Trump administration is defending its designation of Anthropic, an AI safety company, as a "supply chain risk" in federal court after the Defense Department moved to restrict the company's access to government contracts. The blacklisting followed Anthropic's refusal to remove safety guardrails—built-in limitations designed to prevent misuse—from its AI technology, according to the Defense Secretary. The case centers on competing views of AI governance: whether safety constraints constitute a national security vulnerability or a responsible approach to deploying powerful technology. Anthropic has challenged the designation, arguing that the guardrails protect against misuse rather than hinder legitimate national security applications. The outcome will likely shape how the federal government regulates AI companies and whether refusing to disable safety features can legally disqualify firms from defense work.