Statement on the comments from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth
Anthropic @AnthropicAI · blog · 2026-02-27 · ★★★★ · archived
Anthropic's same-day response to the supply-chain-risk designation, promising a court challenge that later produced conflicting rulings in August and September 2026.
Summary
After Hegseth said he was directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a supply chain risk, Anthropic called the move unprecedented and legally unsound. It argued that a designation under 10 USC 3252 can reach only Claude's use within Department of War contracts, not contractors' other business, so Hegseth's claim that military contractors must stop all commercial activity with Anthropic lacked statutory basis. It said it would challenge any designation in court. Press widely quoted the line that no intimidation would change its position (CNN, 2026-02-27). Page fetched 2026-09-29.
Archived text
- "No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons."
Related events
- Pentagon designates Anthropic a "supply chain risk" after it refuses surveillance and autonomous-weapons uses 2026-02-27
- Judge rules Pentagon "supply chain risk" label on Anthropic unlawful retaliation 2026-08-27
- D.C. Circuit upholds Pentagon designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk (2–1) 2026-09-25
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