Watchdog Group Files Amicus Brief Blasting Illegal Federal Actions Against Anthropic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kara Zupkus (224) 456-0257

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation (TPAF) filed an amicus brief at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit urging the Court to grant Anthropic’s petition for judicial review in the case Anthropic PBC v. United States Department of War.

Anthropic first filed suit after the U.S. Department of War and Secretary of War Peter Hegseth designated Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” kicking off a government-wide boycott against the company. On April 8, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Anthropic’s bid to pause the government’s designation. TPAF’s brief was prepared and filed with the assistance of law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.

Ross Marchand, Executive Director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation, sharply criticized the actions of federal officials against Anthropic:

“The government’s decision to label Anthropic a ‘supply chain risk’ and initiate a sweeping, government-wide boycott is a blatant abuse of power that raises serious constitutional concerns. This action has absolutely nothing to do with national security and is illegal viewpoint discrimination plain and simple. The First Amendment does not permit the government to blacklist disfavored speakers under the guise of procurement policy, whether through social media or any other channel.

“Executive officials not only disregarded the Constitution, but also the plain meaning of the laws governing federal contracting and supply chain risk designations. These statutes were designed to address concrete threats—foreign adversary control, espionage risks, or demonstrable vulnerabilities—not give a blank check of power to be wielded against companies the government doesn’t like. By stretching statutory language beyond recognition, federal officials are effectively rewriting the law to suit political ends, undermining both congressional intent and the rule of law itself. This sets a dangerous precedent whereby any company could be blacklisted for getting on the wrong side of powerful officials.

“TPAF calls on the Trump administration to immediately reverse course. Blacklisting companies without clear statutory authority or evidence of genuine risk not only violates constitutional protections, but also erodes trust in government decision-making and chills innovation. This travesty cannot be allowed to continue.”

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The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis, and dissemination of information on the government’s impact on the economy.