US Judge Grants Alibaba Temporary Relief from Pentagon Lobbying Ban

U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee issued a temporary order that bars the Department of Defense from applying a new lobbying restriction to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. while the court examines the constitutionality of the rule. The pause remains in effect until the judge decides on Alibaba’s motion or 60 days after a hearing, whichever occurs first.

Alibaba was added to the Pentagon’s 1260‑H blacklist on June 8, designating it as a Chinese military‑linked company. The company sued on June 23, arguing that the restriction—which forces lobbyists to choose between representing Chinese firms on the list and U.S. defense contractors—violates its First‑Amendment rights after all of its registered lobbyists withdrew. The Pentagon maintains the law complies with the Constitution but agreed to the temporary suspension. The blacklist, expanded to 188 firms, is a key tool in the United States’ effort to curb Chinese companies involved in sectors such as semiconductors, AI, robotics and drones. The case is being watched as a test of the U.S. strategy toward China‑linked firms.