Trump administration urges court to dismiss NAACP's Clean Air Act lawsuit against xAI's unpermitted gas turbines, citing national security ties to military AI operations.

What happened: The NAACP sued xAI and subsidiary MZX Tech in April for operating 27 gas turbines without an air permit at a facility in Southaven, Mississippi; the number of unpermitted turbines rose to 57 by mid-May with plans for two more. The US Department of Justice filed yesterday urging a federal judge to dismiss the case, arguing that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality determined the turbines do not require permits.

Why it matters: The Trump administration claims the lawsuit threatens xAI's Colossus 2 data center, which powers Grok—a chatbot system the administration says provides critical support for military operations. According to a Department of War declaration, Grok helped US forces deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Operation Epic Fury. The gas turbines have already fueled health concerns and noise complaints in the area.

What to watch: The NAACP's legal representatives argue the administration is trying to allow xAI to violate federal law based solely on executive preference, framing this as a test of whether national security claims can override environmental law enforcement.