On Friday, President Trump told steelworkers in Pennsylvania that he is making the tax on imported steel 50%. He wants to help their industry. This might make steel more expensive, so houses, cars, and other things could cost more.

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

Trump spoke at a steel factory near Pittsburgh. He also talked about a new deal. A Japanese company will put money into the American steel company. More details about this deal will come later.

Trump told reporters when he came back to Washington that he still needed to say yes to the deal.

He said, "I need to say yes to the final deal with Nippon. We haven't seen the final deal yet, but they have promised to put in a lot of money, and it's a very big investment.

Trump first said he would stop a Japanese company from buying U.S. Steel. But then he changed his mind. Last week, he said the Japanese company could own part of U.S. Steel.

We don't know if the agreement his government helped arrange is complete, or how the company will be owned. Nippon Steel still wants to buy U.S. Steel completely. They also said they would invest more money in U.S. Steel factories and promised not to fire workers or close factories. They did this while waiting for the government to approve the purchase.

Today, we are here to celebrate a good agreement that 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, right?

Trump said that if taxes on steel from other countries are doubled, it will make the steel industry in the U.S. much safer. But if prices go up a lot, things could become even more expensive.

The price of steel has gone up by 16% since Trump became president in January, according to a government report.

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

Experts say that new taxes on steel, put in place when Trump was president, helped make the American steel industry stronger. 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 president, said they are very worried. He said that if U.S. Steel joins with a foreign company, it will be bad for the country's safety, their members, and the towns where they live and work.

Trump said the deal would let America keep control of the famous company. This company is important for politics, for the country's supplies, like making cars, and for national safety.

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

U.S. Steel has not told its investors about any new plans for the deal. Nippon Steel said they like the idea of working together, but they have not shared the details either.

Lawmakers say that Nippon will buy U.S. Steel. Nippon will also spend a lot of money to make U.S. Steel's factories better in five states: Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Minnesota. Most of the people in charge will be Americans, and the U.S. government can stop important decisions if it needs to.

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

Clifford Hammonds, who works at the factory where Trump spoke, said the deal will help make the old factory better and produce more things.

We are investing money in the factory to make it better, because it is old and not working well. We are not making as many products as we should because the factory is old. We need money to fix the machines,

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

Trump said he would make American factories strong again if he became president for a second time. If U.S. Steel, which was once a very big company, does not do well, it could cause problems for his party in the next elections. This is especially true in Pennsylvania and other states that rely on factories.

Trump said on Sunday that he would not accept the deal if U.S. Steel was not owned by Americans. He also said that 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 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 talked about Nippon Steel's plan to invest more money in the US. They said the company will put in an extra $14 billion, besides the $14.9 billion they already offered. This includes building a new steel factory that uses electricity in the US.

On Friday, some workers from U.S. Steel joined him on stage. One of them was Jason Zugai, who is a leader at the Irvin factory. These workers supported Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel, even though their main union did not agree.

Zugai's father lost his job at a steel factory many years ago. Zugai spoke to local leaders and politicians to get their help for the deal. He believed that if they didn't support it, U.S. Steel would close its factories near Pittsburgh.

Zugai told Trump that he knew Trump would not disappoint them. He also said that Nippon Steel's plan to invest $14 billion in American steel would greatly improve people's lives.