Microsoft Supports AI Company Anthropic Against Pentagon Supply Chain Ban

Tech giant Microsoft has filed court documents supporting AI company Anthropic's legal challenge against the Pentagon's designation of the firm as a supply chain security risk. The dispute stems from Anthropic's refusal to allow unlimited military use of its Claude AI system.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tech giant Microsoft has joined forces with artificial intelligence company Anthropic in seeking federal court intervention to stop the Trump administration from classifying the AI firm as a supply chain security risk.

In court documents filed Tuesday, Microsoft is contesting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision from last week that excluded Anthropic from Pentagon contracts by categorizing its artificial intelligence technology as a threat to national security.

The military’s move against Anthropic followed a highly visible disagreement over the company’s decision to restrict military applications of its Claude AI system. President Trump has also directed all federal departments to discontinue using Claude.

“Employing a supply chain risk classification to resolve a contractual disagreement could result in serious economic consequences that do not serve the public good,” Microsoft stated in its Tuesday court submission to the San Francisco federal courthouse, where Anthropic filed suit against the administration on Monday.

According to Microsoft’s legal documents, the Pentagon’s decision “compels government contractors to follow unclear and poorly defined orders that have never previously been used against an American business.”

The filing requests judicial intervention to temporarily suspend the classification, allowing for more “thoughtful dialogue.”

Pentagon officials refused to provide comment, citing their policy against discussing ongoing legal proceedings.

Microsoft has also expressed support for Anthropic’s two ethical boundaries that created friction during contract talks.

“Microsoft also believes that American AI should not be used to conduct domestic mass surveillance or start a war without human control,” the company stated. “This position is consistent with the law and broadly supported by American society, as the government acknowledges.”