Judge Shuts Down Trump’s Attempt to Blacklist Anthropic: ‘Classic First Amendment Retaliation’

Looks like someone in the Trump administration forgot that the First Amendment still exists. US District Judge Rita Lin just slapped down the Department of War’s attempt to blacklist Anthropic as a supply-chain risk, and she didn’t mince words.

“Classic First Amendment retaliation,” Lin wrote in her order granting Anthropic a preliminary injunction. That’s the kind of language judges use when they’re genuinely annoyed by government overreach.

The Department of War wanted to designate Anthropic a national security supply-chain risk, effectively blacklisting the AI company from federal contracts. Problem is, they had no real justification. According to Lin, the department’s own records show the designation was triggered by Anthropic’s “hostile manner through the press.”

So let me get this straight: a company criticizes the government, and the response is to cut them off from federal business? That’s not national security. That’s retaliation. And Lin saw right through it.

She noted that officials “seemingly had no authority” to take such extreme actions without considering less restrictive alternatives or providing any evidence that Anthropic posed an urgent national security risk. That’s a pretty damning observation for an agency that’s supposed to be protecting the country, not picking political fights.

This is higher than I expected from a preliminary ruling. Usually judges are more cautious at this stage, but Lin clearly saw enough to stop the blacklisting immediately. It’s a strong signal that the government’s case is weak on the merits.

For context, Anthropic has been vocal about AI safety and regulation, often clashing with the Trump administration’s more laissez-faire approach. The company’s CEO has publicly criticized the Department of War’s stance on AI oversight, which apparently didn’t sit well with the brass.

The ruling is a win for free speech, but it also raises questions about how the government handles companies that push back. If a federal agency can blacklist a contractor just for being “hostile” in the press, that’s a chilling precedent. Lin’s order suggests she thinks the same.

I’ve seen this kind of government overreach before, but it’s rare to see a judge call it out so bluntly this early in the process. The Department of War will have to go back to the drawing board, and probably rethink its approach to AI companies that don’t fall in line.

For now, Anthropic can keep doing business with the government, and keep speaking its mind. That’s how it should be in a country with a First Amendment.