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President Joe Biden has issued a statement opposing the Japanese acquisition of U.S. Steel after the White House previously said<\/a> the purchase requires \u201cserious scrutiny.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important that we maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers. I told our steel workers I have their backs, and I meant it,\u201d the statement read<\/a>. \u201cU.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated.\u201d<\/p>\n USW International President David McCall responded<\/a> to Biden\u2019s statement, saying, \u201cThe USW welcomes President Biden\u2019s statement on the proposed USS-Nippon deal and shares his concerns over the sale\u2019s long-term implications for our economic and national security.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAllowing one of our nation\u2019s largest steel manufacturers to be purchased by a foreign-owned corporation leaves us vulnerable when it comes to meeting both our defense and critical infrastructure needs,\u201d McCall declared. \u201cThe president\u2019s statements should end the debate: U.S. Steel must remain \u2018domestically owned and operated.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Biden told USW members he has our backs, and there\u2019s no question that he meant it. We\u2019re grateful for his unfailing support and his ongoing commitment to advancing the interests of working families and their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n The Japanese government blamed election politics for the opposition.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as the [U.S.] is in a campaign, we see a huge difficulty out there\u201d moving forward with the deal, a Japanese government official said, according to Politico<\/a>. \u201cWhether or not [Biden\u2019s] words mean killing the deal remains to be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n American Faith reported<\/a> in December that Nippon Steel Corporation was purchasing U.S. Steel for nearly $15 billion.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are excited that this transaction brings together two companies with world-leading technologies and manufacturing capabilities, demonstrating our mission to serve customers worldwide, as well as our commitment to building a more environmentally friendly society through the decarbonization of steel,\u201d NSC President Eiji Hashimoto\u00a0said<\/a>. \u201cNSC has long admired U. S. Steel with deep respect for its advanced technologies, rich history, and talented workforce and we believe we can jointly take on the challenge of raising our aspirations to even greater heights. The transaction builds on our presence in the United States and we are committed to honoring all of U. S. Steel\u2019s existing union contracts. We look forward to collaborating closely with the U. S. Steel team to bring together the best of our companies and move forward together as the \u2018Best Steelmaker with World-Leading Capabilities.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n