Department of War supply chain risk designations of Anthropic (10 U.S.C. 3252 and 41 U.S.C. 4713)

Summary

On March 3, 2026, the Department of War (DoW) designated Anthropic a supply chain risk under two statutes, 10 U.S.C. 3252 and 41 U.S.C. 4713 (FASCSA), after contract talks broke down over Anthropic's usage restrictions, including on autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance; a presidential directive also told federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology. Anthropic sued on March 9, 2026, in the Northern District of California (No. 3:26-cv-01996) and in the D.C. Circuit (No. 26-1049). Judge Rita F. Lin granted a preliminary injunction on March 26, 2026, against the section 3252 designation and the two directives, and a permanent injunction on August 27, 2026. On September 25, 2026, the D.C. Circuit upheld the section 4713 designation. As of September 29, 2026, no FASCSA exclusion order naming Anthropic had been posted on SAM.gov.

Key dates

1. March 3, 2026Issued
2. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
3. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: January 15, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. On March 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of War (DoW) designated frontier AI model developer Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" to national security.

   Supports: Designation date

   On March 26, 2026, Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California granted Anthropic's motion for a preliminary injunction

   Supports: Preliminary injunction date and judge

   On March 9, 2026, Anthropic filed challenges to the supply chain risk designations in two separate courts.

   Supports: Filing date; two courts

   DoW and Anthropic showdown continues: navigating the Anthropic supply chain risk designations A&O Shearman Reporting or analysis

2. Judge Rita F. Lin of the District Court for the Northern District of California also temporarily halted a directive from President Trump ordering all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's technology.

   Supports: Presidential directive and its injunction

   Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration's Anthropic ban NPR Reporting or analysis

3. On September 25, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit upheld the Department of War's (DOW) designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk under 41 U.S.C.

   Supports: D.C. Circuit ruling

   the DOW has 60 days after the Northern District of California's permanent injunction order, issued August 27, 2026, to appeal the injunction to the Ninth Circuit.

   Supports: Permanent injunction date

   DC Circuit Upholds Anthropic Supply Chain Risk Designation: Takeaways for Government Contractors Miller & Chevalier Reporting or analysis