Trump-Appointed Judges Deny Anthropic's Emergency Stay, Uphold Administration's AI Blacklisting Push

A federal appeals court has refused to halt the Trump administration's push to blacklist Anthropic, delivering a procedural setback to the AI company's legal challenge. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied Anthropic's emergency motion for a stay, though it granted the firm's request to expedite the case, scheduling oral arguments for May 19.

The ruling was issued by a three-judge panel composed entirely of Republican appointees, including two judges directly appointed by former President Trump: Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao. Katsas previously served as deputy counsel to the president during Trump's first term, while Rao served in the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget. This decision represents only one front in Anthropic's legal battle; the company has filed two separate cases against the administration and has reportedly seen more success in the other proceeding.

At the core of the dispute is Anthropic's claim that it is exercising its First Amendment rights by refusing to allow its Claude AI models to be used for autonomous warfare or the mass surveillance of American citizens. The company alleges the Trump administration's blacklisting efforts are a retaliatory response to this refusal. The expedited hearing in May will now become the critical next phase, determining whether the administration's actions can proceed while the broader constitutional and contractual claims are litigated.