On Friday, President Trump announced to steelworkers in Pennsylvania that he would double the tax on imported steel to 50%. He stated that this action was intended to protect their industry. However, this decision might also cause the price of steel to increase, which is a material used to make homes, cars, and many other products.

He later said on his Truth Social account that taxes on imported aluminum would also increase to 50%. He added that both of these tax increases would begin on Wednesday.

Trump visited a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh. While there, he discussed a future agreement where Japan's Nippon Steel will invest in the well-known American steel company. More details about this deal will be announced later.

When Trump got back to Washington, he told reporters that he still needed to approve the deal.

He said, "I need to approve the final agreement with Nippon, but we haven't seen it yet. Still, they've made a big promise, and it's a large investment."

Although Trump first promised to stop the Japanese steel company from buying U.S. Steel, he later changed his decision. Last week, he announced an agreement for Nippon to have partial ownership of the company.

However, it's still uncertain if the agreement his government helped arrange is finished, or how the ownership will be set up. Nippon Steel has always wanted to completely buy and control U.S. Steel. They even promised to invest more money in U.S. Steel factories and guaranteed they wouldn't fire workers or close plants to get the government's approval for the purchase.

Today, we are celebrating an important agreement that will make sure this famous American company stays American," Trump said at an event at a U.S. Steel warehouse. He then asked, "You will continue to be an American company, right?"

Trump said that doubling the taxes on imported steel would make the U.S. steel industry even safer. But this big increase could make prices go up even more.

Government information shows that steel prices have gone up by 16% since President Trump started his term in January.

In March 2025, steel cost $984 per metric ton in the United States. This was much more expensive than in Europe, where it cost $690, or in China, where it cost $392. This information comes from the U.S. Commerce Department. Last year, the U.S. produced about three times more steel than it bought from other countries. The main countries that sold steel to the U.S. were Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea.

Experts say that tariffs from Trump's first term helped make the American steel industry stronger. Nippon Steel wanted to use this situation to their advantage when they offered to buy U.S. Steel.

The United Steelworkers union continued to have doubts.

Union President David McCall said they are very concerned about how the merger of U.S. Steel with a foreign company will affect national security, their members, and the communities where they live and work.

Trump emphasized that the agreement would allow America to keep control of the well-known company. This company is important because it's a political symbol and affects the country's supply chain, including car production and national security.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has wanted to make deals and announce new investments in the U.S. He is also trying to please the voters who elected him, especially blue-collar workers, because he promised to protect American manufacturing.

U.S. Steel hasn't told investors any details about a new agreement. Nippon Steel said they approve of the partnership but also hasn't shared the terms.

State and federal politicians who know about the situation say that Nippon wants to buy U.S. Steel. They will spend billions of dollars on U.S. Steel's factories in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Minnesota. The company's leaders and board would be mostly American, and the U.S. government could stop important decisions using a special right called a "golden share."

Steelworkers in the union have different opinions about Nippon Steel buying their company. However, their feelings have changed because they now believe that U.S. Steel would eventually close its factories near Pittsburgh.

Clifford Hammonds, who works on the production line at the factory where Trump spoke, said that the deal will at least help improve the old factory and increase production.

The money will help rebuild the factory because it's old and breaking down. We aren't producing as much as we should be because, as I said, the factory is old and falling apart. We need some investment to fix the machines we have, Hammonds explained.

This issue is very important to Trump. Last year, he often said he would prevent the deal and foreign companies from owning U.S. Steel. Former President Joe Biden also shared this opinion.

During his campaign, Trump promised to make American manufacturing strong again if he won a second term. The situation with U.S. Steel, which used to be the world's biggest company, could cause political problems for his Republican Party in the midterm elections, especially in Pennsylvania and other key states that depend on manufacturing.

Trump said on Sunday that he would not approve the deal unless U.S. Steel stayed under American control. He also said that its main office would remain in Pittsburgh.

The president concluded his address on Friday by expressing gratitude to the steelworkers.

He said, "With the help of people like you, we will make our own metal, produce our own energy, and secure our future. We will build our country and control our own destiny." He also said, "We will use Pennsylvania steel to strengthen America more than ever before."

Recently, Trump and other US officials have been talking about Nippon Steel's new plan to invest another $14 billion. This is in addition to their $14.9 billion offer, and it includes building a new steel factory in the US that uses an electric arc furnace.

On Friday, several U.S. Steel workers joined him on stage, including Jason Zugai. He is a vice president at the local United Steelworkers union at the Irvin plant. This local union supported Nippon Steel's offer to buy U.S. Steel, even though the main international union did not agree.

Zugai's father had lost his job at a steel factory many years before. Because of this, Zugai tried to convince local politicians and members of Congress to support the agreement. He believed that if they didn't, U.S. Steel would eventually close its factories near Pittsburgh.

Zugai told Trump that he believed Trump would support them, and he said that Nippon Steel's plan to invest $14 billion in US steel production would greatly improve things.