# US appeals court upholds Pentagon’s blacklist of Anthropic over Claude model safeguards

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-25T10:03:00Z · updated 2026-09-25T18:40:22Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/us-appeals-court-upholds-pentagons-blacklist-of-anthropic-over-claude

## Summary

A US appeals court upheld the Pentagon’s decision to exclude Anthropic from its supply chain after the startup refused to remove safeguards on its Claude model. The ruling on Friday followed a March designation that canceled military contracts and barred Defense Department contractors from using Anthropic’s technology, citing risks from its restrictions on autonomous lethal weapons and domestic surveillance capabilities.

The conflict began in February when Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded Anthropic lift those safeguards. The company estimates the blacklisting has cost it billions in lost business and harmed its IPO prospects. The Pentagon’s move contrasts with a separate California court ruling last month that found a broader Trump-era ban against Anthropic illegal. Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, has publicly warned about AI risks, drawing criticism from President Donald Trump, who called his statements a hoax.

## Key points

- Pentagon barred Anthropic from supply chain after Claude model safeguards refused in February
- Blacklist canceled military contracts and blocked Defense Department contractors from using Anthropic’s tech
- Anthropic claims billions lost and IPO damage from the ruling, plans further legal review

## Why it matters

The ruling sets a precedent for government oversight of AI safeguards in defense contracts, potentially limiting how startups can deploy models with ethical restrictions.

## Sources

1. [US court upholds Pentagon’s blacklisting of Anthropic](https://aljazeera.com/economy/2026/9/25/us-court-upholds-pentagons-blacklisting-of-anthropic) (aljazeera.com, 2026-09-25)
2. [Pentagon was right to slap Anthropic with a security supply chain risk label, federal court says](https://the-decoder.com/pentagon-was-right-to-slap-anthropic-with-a-security-supply-chain-risk-label-federal-court-says) (The Decoder, 2026-09-25)
3. [Appeals Court Lets the Pentagon Designate Anthropic a Supply Chain Risk](https://wired.com/story/appeals-court-lets-the-pentagon-designate-anthropic-a-supply-chain-risk) (Wired AI, 2026-09-25)
4. [US appeals court upholds Pentagon's blacklisting of Anthropic](https://aol.com/articles/us-appeals-court-declines-block-152032000.html) (aol.com, 2026-09-25)
5. [Federal court says US government can label Anthropic a supply chain risk](https://bostonherald.com/2026/09/25/federal-court-government-anthropic-supply-chain-risk) (bostonherald.com, 2026-09-25)

Part of the developing story: [Pentagon AI Safety Blacklist and Contracts](https://digestai.news/thread/openai-secures-200m-pentagon-deal-with-strict-safety-guardrails) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "US appeals court upholds Pentagon’s blacklist of Anthropic over Claude model safeguards", 25 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/us-appeals-court-upholds-pentagons-blacklist-of-anthropic-over-claude

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