Krux
March 28, 2026
Judge Blocks Pentagon From Banning Anthropic's Claude
Published: March 28, 2026 at 12:39 AM
Updated: March 28, 2026 at 12:39 AM
100-word summary
A San Francisco federal judge granted Anthropic a preliminary injunction stopping the Pentagon from enforcing Trump's directive to drop Claude and the Defense Department's supply-chain-risk designation. The order, issued after a 90-minute hearing, pauses enforcement while litigation proceeds but doesn't force the military to keep using Claude. Anthropic warned the ban could cost billions in 2026 revenue and filed two separate lawsuits challenging different pieces of the government's action. The case tests whether courts can restrain national security decisions when vendors claim First Amendment violations. The injunction is temporary and could be reversed as the fight continues.
What happened
A San Francisco federal judge granted Anthropic a preliminary injunction stopping the Pentagon from enforcing Trump's directive to drop Claude and the Defense Department's supply-chain-risk designation. The order, issued after a 90-minute hearing, pauses enforcement while litigation proceeds but doesn't force the military to keep using Claude. Anthropic warned the ban could cost billions in 2026 revenue and filed two separate lawsuits challenging different pieces of the government's action. The case tests whether courts can restrain national security decisions when vendors claim First Amendment violations.
Why it matters
The injunction is temporary and could be reversed as the fight continues.