On Friday, President Trump told steelworkers in Pennsylvania that he is doubling the tax on imported steel to 50%. This is to protect their industry. This big increase could make the price of steel go up even more. Steel is used to make houses, cars, and other items.

He later announced on his Truth Social account that taxes on aluminum would also increase to 50%, and both increases would begin on Wednesday.

Trump spoke at a U.S. Steel factory near Pittsburgh. He also talked about a future agreement where Japan's Nippon Steel will invest in the famous American steel company.

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

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 very 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.

However, it's still uncertain if the agreement his administration helped arrange is finished, or how the ownership will be set up. Nippon Steel has not said it will stop trying to buy and control U.S. Steel completely, even though it offered to invest more money in U.S. Steel's factories and promised not to lay off workers or close plants while seeking government approval for the purchase.

Today, we are celebrating an important agreement that will make sure this well-known American company remains American," Trump said when he began an event at a U.S. Steel warehouse. "You will continue to be an American company, won't you?

Trump said that raising taxes on imported steel would make the US steel industry safer. However, such a big increase could make prices go up even more.

Steel prices have gone up by 16% since Trump became president in January, according to information from the government.

In March 2025, steel in the United States cost $984 per metric ton. This price was much higher than in Europe ($690) or China ($392), according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Last year, the U.S. made about three times more steel than it bought from other countries. The main countries it bought steel from were Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea.

Experts think that the import taxes, which began during Trump's first term, have 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 impact national security, their members, and the communities where they live and work.

Trump highlighted that the agreement would ensure American control of the well-known company. This company is important as a political symbol and for the country's supply chain, including car manufacturing, and for national security.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has wanted to make deals and announce new investments in the U.S. He also wants to please the voters who elected him, especially blue-collar workers who supported his idea of protecting American manufacturing.

U.S. Steel has not told investors any details about a new agreement. Nippon Steel also has not shared the terms, even though they said they approve of the suggested partnership.

State and federal lawmakers who know about the situation say that Nippon will buy U.S. Steel. They will also put billions of dollars into U.S. Steel's factories in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Minnesota. The company would be run by mostly American leaders and a board, and the U.S. government would have the power to stop important decisions with a special 'golden share'.

The steelworkers' union first had different opinions about Nippon Steel buying the company. But their opinions changed because they became more sure 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 agreement will at least help improve the old factory and increase what it produces.

Hammonds explained, "We need to invest money back into the factory to rebuild it because it's old and falling apart. We aren't producing as much as we should be. We need some investment to fix the machines we have."

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

During his campaign, Trump promised to make American manufacturing strong again if he won a second term. The future of U.S. Steel, which was once the world's biggest company, could cause political problems for the Republican Party in upcoming elections, especially in Pennsylvania and other key states that rely on industrial manufacturing.

Trump said on Sunday that he would not agree to the deal if U.S. Steel was not owned by an American company. He added that its main office would stay 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, create our own energy, and protect our future. We will build our country and decide our own future." He also said, "We will use Pennsylvania steel to make America strong again, more than ever before."

Recently, Trump and other US officials have been promoting Nippon Steel's new promise to invest an extra $14 billion. This investment is in addition to their $14.9 billion offer and 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 finishing plant. This local union disagreed with the main international union because they supported Nippon Steel's offer to buy U.S. Steel.

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

Zugai told Trump he believed Trump would not let them down. He also said that Nippon Steel's plan to invest $14 billion in American steel production would be a very important change.