A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to pause enforcement of a lobbying restriction tied to the Defense Department’s blacklist of companies alleged to aid China’s military, granting Alibaba Group a temporary reprieve. The order directs that Alibaba not be treated as a Chinese military company for purposes of the restriction while the court reviews the company’s motion. The dispute centers on a law that bars the Defense Department from working with any company represented by lobbyists who also represent entities on the Pentagon’s blacklist. Bloomberg previously reported that lobbying firms rushed to sever ties after the rule took effect, effectively forcing lobbyists to choose between sanctioned Chinese entities and defense contractors. Judge Eumi K. Lee is overseeing the case, which follows Alibaba’s lawsuit seeking removal from the Pentagon’s roster, known as the 1260H list. The ruling signals potential judicial scrutiny of how far the US can push curbs on Chinese company engagement through blacklist-linked speech restrictions.