President Joe Biden is preparing to officially block the proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns and the importance of keeping U.S. Steel as an American-owned company. U.S. Steel executives argue that the deal’s failure would jeopardize thousands of union jobs and its headquarters in Pittsburgh, which could have political repercussions in critical swing states like Pennsylvania. The deal is currently being reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, with Nippon Steel opposing any effort to scuttle the agreement. Nippon Steel, a Japanese-owned conglomerate, is one of the largest producers of crude steel in the world and is worth more than $21 billion, but is facing stiff competition from China. U.S. Steel, once one of America’s largest companies employing about 340,000 workers at its peak in 1943, now employs approximately 20,000 workers and has a market value of about $7 billion. The outcome of this acquisition has significant implications for the American steel industry and national security, as well as for the future of U.S. manufacturing capacity and jobs.
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