The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Daily: The Trials of the Trump Administration, March 13
Mar 16, 2026
Kate Klonick, scholar of law and technology; Scott R. Anderson, litigation and national security lawyer; Eric Columbus, DOJ and courtroom analyst; Roger Parloff, seasoned legal journalist. They unpack Judge Boasberg quashing subpoenas aimed at Powell. They discuss Anthropic’s suit against the Defense Department, Kari Lake’s unlawful appointment fallout, appointment disputes for U.S. attorneys, and other high-profile litigation developments.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Anthropic Challenges DOD Supply Chain Designation
- Anthropic challenged the DoD designation as a supply chain risk and raised First Amendment and APA claims in parallel district and D.C. Circuit suits.
- The litigation tests whether national-security procurement can compel AI safety changes or chill company speech.
Court Fast-Tracks Anthropic Preliminary Injunction
- Judge Rita Lin moved directly to a preliminary injunction hearing rather than grant a TRO, signaling urgency but delaying immediate freeze relief until March 24.
- The court wanted government responses quickly and refused to let them delay by citing counsel availability.
Judge Lamberth Invalidates Kari Lake's Actions At USAGM
- Judge Royce Lamberth ruled Kari Lake lacked lawful authority under the Vacancies Act, invalidating many of her actions at USAGM.
- Lamberth stressed you cannot use delegation to bypass vacancy limits, so terminated contracts and auctions may be undone.