President Trump said on Friday that he will make the tax on steel from other countries 50% higher. He told this to steelworkers in Pennsylvania to help their jobs. This change could make steel more expensive, which is used for building houses and cars.

Later, he wrote on his Truth Social page that taxes on aluminum would also go up to 50%. He said these new taxes would start on Wednesday.

Trump spoke at a steel factory in Pittsburgh. He talked about a new deal where a Japanese company will invest in the American steel company. More details about this deal will be shared later.

When Trump came back to Washington, he told reporters he still has to say yes to the deal.

He said, "I need to say yes to the last deal with Nippon, but we haven't seen it yet. They have promised a lot of money, and it's a very big project.

Trump first said he would stop the Japanese company from buying U.S. Steel. But last week, he changed his mind. Now, the Japanese company will only own part of U.S. Steel.

We don't know if the agreement his government helped make is final, or how the company will be owned. Nippon Steel still wants to buy U.S. Steel completely. They want U.S. Steel to be fully part of their company. They have offered to put more money into U.S. Steel factories. They also promised not to fire workers or close factories. They did this to get the government's approval for the purchase.

Today, we are here to celebrate a good agreement. This agreement will help this famous American company stay American," Trump said at an event in a U.S. Steel building. "You will stay an American company, won't you?

Trump said that if they double the taxes on steel from other countries, it will make the steel industry in the U.S. safer. But if taxes go up a lot, prices might also go up even more.

The price of steel has gone up by 16% since Trump became president in January, according to the government's report on prices.

In March 2025, steel in the U.S. cost $984 for one ton. This was much more expensive than in Europe ($690) or China ($392). The U.S. government said this. Last year, the U.S. made about three times more steel than it bought from other countries. Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea sold the most steel to the U.S.

Experts say that new taxes on steel when Trump was president helped the American steel industry. Nippon Steel wanted to use this good situation when they offered to buy U.S. Steel.

The Steelworkers union still had doubts.

David McCall, the union's leader, said they are worried about what will happen to the country's safety, their members, and the towns where they live and work if U.S. Steel joins a foreign company.

Trump said the deal would keep the well-known company controlled by America. This company is important for politics, for the country's supplies, for making cars, and for keeping the country safe.

Trump wants to make deals and bring new businesses to the U.S. He also wants to make the people who voted for him happy, especially workers, because he promised to protect American factories.

U.S. Steel has not told its investors any new details about the deal. Nippon Steel said they agree with the idea of working together, but they have not told anyone the details.

Government officials know that Nippon will buy U.S. Steel. Nippon will also spend a lot of money on U.S. Steel factories in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Minnesota. Most of the company's leaders will be Americans. The U.S. government can stop important decisions.

The steelworkers in the union had different ideas about Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel. But over time, more of them thought the sale was a good idea. This is because they believed U.S. Steel would close their factories near Pittsburgh anyway.

Clifford Hammonds works at the factory where Trump talked. He said the deal will probably help improve the old factory and make it produce more.

We are putting money into the factory to make it better because it is old and breaking. We are not making as many products as we should because the factory is old and breaking. We need to spend money to fix our machines.

This issue is very important for Trump. Last year, he often said he would stop this deal and not let foreign companies own U.S. Steel. Joe Biden, who was president before, also said the same thing.

Trump said he would help American factories if he became president again. If U.S. Steel, a very big company, does not do well, it could cause problems for his party in the next elections. This is especially true in states like Pennsylvania where many people work in factories.

Trump said on Sunday that he would not agree to the deal if U.S. Steel was not an American company. He said the company will keep its main office in Pittsburgh.

The president finished speaking on Friday by saying thank you to the steelworkers.

He said, "With your help, we will make our own metal and energy. We will make our future safe and build our country. We will decide what happens to us." He also said, "We will use Pennsylvania steel to make America strong again, more than ever before."

Recently, Trump and other US officials started to talk about Nippon Steel's new plan. They will invest $14 billion more, and this is in addition to their $14.9 billion offer. They also plan to build a new steel factory in the US.

On Friday, some workers from U.S. Steel were on stage with him. Jason Zugai, a leader from their local union at the Irvin plant, was one of them. This local union did not follow the main international union's advice. They supported Nippon Steel's plan to buy U.S. Steel.

Zugai's father lost his job at a steel factory many years ago. Because of this, Zugai spoke to local leaders and politicians to get them to agree to the deal. He believed that U.S. Steel would close its factories near Pittsburgh if they did not support it.

Zugai told Trump, "I knew you would help us." He also said that Nippon Steel's plan to invest $14 billion in making steel in the U.S. would change many people's lives.