Trump Yet to Decide on Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel Merger

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Trump Yet to Decide on Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel Merger

As of May 23, 2025, President Donald Trump has not yet announced his decision on the proposed merger between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel. Currently, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has submitted its opinion to President Trump, granting him a 15-day window to decide on the $11 billion deal. Reuters reported that this decision could potentially face delays.

In a strategic move to win favor, Nippon Steel has significantly upped its commitment, boosting its investment pledge in U.S. Steel to $11 billion by 2028. This marks a major increase from a previously stated $2.7 billion and includes plans for a new steel mill that promises the creation of tens of thousands of jobs, thereby attempting to bolster American industrial capacity.

Despite these efforts, the proposal faces opposition from the United Steelworkers union, which has urged President Trump to block the merger, citing concerns over national security and the potential undermining of the American steel industry. This follows a previous rejection by former President Joe Biden over similar security concerns, which led to a lawsuit by Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel over what they claim was an unfair review process.

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