The Trump administration has attempted to block a lawsuit filed by the NAACP against Elon Musk’s xAI Corp., alleging that they violated the Clean Air Act with their gas turbines in Mississippi.

According to the lawsuit, xAI operates 57 unpermitted gas turbines at its Colossus Gas Plant, which powers the nearby data center and chatbot ‘Grok’. The plant has upset local residents due to health concerns and noise complaints.

In a filing with the court, US Department of Justice lawyers argued that the NAACP’s lawsuit could jeopardise national security by disrupting Grok, an AI model integral to military operations. They also referenced Grok’s role in Operation Epic Fury, stating it helped deploy munitions during the operation.

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), representing the NAACP, accused the US of allowing xAI to break the law for no better reason than a whim from the Trump administration.