Timeline

Since 2023, Anthropic's Usage Policy for Claude has prohibited (a) mass surveillance of Americans and (b) lethal autonomous warfare, regardless of customer.

Claude Gov enters DoD use under the Usage Policy restrictions, eventually holding Top Secret FCL, FedRAMP High / DoD IL 4-5.

Anthropic signs a $200M Chief Digital and AI Office contract with the Department of Defense.

Anthropic secures a GSA government-wide acquisition vehicle.

Executive Order 14347 renames the Department of Defense to the Department of War.

90 Fed. Reg. 43893

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei publishes a January 2026 essay discussing the impasse with DoW over Usage Policy carve-outs.

At a meeting with Amodei and Sarah Heck, Secretary Hegseth threatens both a supply-chain risk designation and Defense Production Act invocation if Anthropic does not accept "any lawful use" language.

Anthropic issues a public statement explaining its position on the contracting impasse.

At 3:47 p.m. ET, President Trump posts on Truth Social directing every federal agency to "IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic's technology." Cites no statutory authority.

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About an hour later, Secretary Hegseth posts on X (a) designating Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security" and (b) declaring that "no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic."

OpenAI announces a Pentagon deployment contract with substantively similar restrictions (no mass surveillance, no autonomous weapons, no high-stakes automated decisions) — raising disparate-treatment questions.

Secretary Hegseth issues a formal determination designating Anthropic a supply-chain risk under 10 U.S.C. § 3252; a separate March 3 letter invokes FASCSA (41 U.S.C. § 4713).

Plenary APA + constitutional action filed in the Northern District of California (Judge Rita F. Lin); separate petition for review filed in the D.C. Circuit challenging the FASCSA letter.

Combined emergency motion filed the same day as the complaint.

5,188-word emergency motion to stay the FASCSA designation pending review.

Government counsel concedes that no statute authorizes Hegseth's contractor blacklist language and that it has "absolutely no legal effect at all."

Judge Lin grants Anthropic's motion in a 43-page opinion (Dkt. 134/135) and stays the Hegseth Directive and Supply Chain Designation under 5 U.S.C. § 705. Bond set at $100.

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9th Cir. assigns case number 26-2011.

Per curiam denial (Wilkins, Katsas, Rao). Commentary reads the denial as procedurally driven, not a merits signal.

Joint stipulation entered (Dkt. 150). Government Answer due 6/8; Anthropic MSJ due 6/10; cross-briefing through 7/15; hearing 7/30/2026.

Stay granted unopposed pending resolution of the D.C. Cir. petition; government must move for relief within 21 days of D.C. Cir. decision.

Argument held before Henderson, Katsas, and Rao on three pre-ordered issues (§ 1327 jurisdiction; "covered procurement action"; whether Anthropic can affect Claude's functioning after delivery).

Panel orders supplemental briefs (originally due 5/28, extended to 6/4) — suggests the panel is wrestling with at least one of the briefed issues.