Chinese DRAM maker CXMT sues Pentagon to overturn military-company label

ChangXin Memory Technologies, China's leading producer of dynamic random-access memory chips, filed a complaint in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Aug. 28, contesting its inclusion on a Pentagon list of Chinese military companies. The firm asserts that its DRAM products are intended solely for civilian and commercial use and that the Defence Department's decision, first made in January 2025, was arbitrary and unsupported by factual evidence.

CXMT points to a February 2026 notice that briefly indicated removal from the list, which was withdrawn the same day, and a subsequent relisting in June without adequate explanation. The complaint names Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Deputy Defence Secretary Steve Feinberg and Assistant Secretary Michael Cadenazzi as defendants, alleging violations of due-process rights. By overturning the designation, CXMT hopes to eliminate potential government contracting bans and mitigate reputational damage as it pursues long-term entry into the US market.