On Friday, President Trump told steelworkers in Pennsylvania that he is doubling the tax on imported steel to 50%. He said this is to protect their industry, but it could also make the prices of things like houses and cars go up.

He later said on his Truth Social account that taxes on imported aluminum would also be doubled to 50%, and both tax increases would start on Wednesday.

Trump gave a speech at the U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant, which is near Pittsburgh. He also talked about a future deal 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, and we haven't seen that agreement yet. But they have made a very big promise, and it's a very big investment.

Even though Trump initially said he would stop the Japanese steel company from buying U.S. Steel, he changed his mind. Last week, he announced a deal for Nippon to own a part of the company.

It's still not clear if the agreement his government helped arrange is complete, or how the company will be owned. Nippon Steel hasn't said they will stop trying to buy U.S. Steel completely. They have also promised to invest more money in U.S. Steel factories and guaranteed they won't fire workers or close plants while waiting for the government to approve the purchase.

Today, we are celebrating an important agreement that will make sure this famous American company stays an American company," Trump said at an event at a U.S. Steel warehouse. "You will stay an American company, won't you?

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

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

In March 2025, a metric ton of steel in the United States cost $984. 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 that sold steel to the U.S. were Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea.

Experts think that the import taxes, which started during Trump's first term, have helped the American steel industry become 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.

David McCall, who is the president of the union, said that the union is very worried about how this merger of U.S. Steel with a foreign company will affect national security, their members, and the places where they live and work.

Trump emphasized that the agreement would keep the famous company under American control. This company is important for politics, the country's supply chain, industries like car manufacturing, and national security.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has been very keen to make deals and announce new investments in the U.S. He is also trying to please the voters who elected him, especially factory workers, whom he promised to protect.

U.S. Steel has not told investors any details about a new deal. Nippon Steel said it supports the proposed partnership, but it also hasn't shared the terms.

State and federal lawmakers who know about the situation are talking about a deal. Nippon plans to buy U.S. Steel and put billions of dollars into its factories in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Minnesota. The company would be run by a team of leaders and a board, mostly made up of Americans. Also, the U.S. government could stop certain decisions using a special 'golden share'.

The steelworkers' union stated that initially, opinions were divided regarding Nippon Steel's purchase of the company. However, over time, their views changed as they became more convinced 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 make the old factory better and increase what they produce.

Hammonds explained that they are putting money back into the factory to fix and update it. Production has been lower than it should be because the factory is old and in bad condition. He emphasized that they need investment to repair the current machines and make things work better.

This issue is very important to Trump. Last year, he repeatedly said he would stop the deal and not allow foreign companies to own U.S. Steel. Former President Joe Biden also agreed with this.

During his campaign, Trump promised to make American manufacturing a main focus if he won a second term. The future of U.S. Steel, which used to be a huge company, could cause political problems for the Republican Party in the midterm elections, especially in Pennsylvania and other key states that rely on manufacturing.

On Sunday, Trump said he would not approve the deal if U.S. Steel was not owned by an American company. He also said 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 supportive people like you, we will make our own metal, create our own energy, and make our future safe. We will build our country and decide our own future." He added, "We will once again use Pennsylvania steel to strengthen America, more than ever before."

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

On Friday, several U.S. Steel workers, including Jason Zugai, joined him on stage. Zugai is a vice president at the local United Steelworkers union. His local union at the Irvin plant went against the main international union. They supported Nippon Steel's offer to buy U.S. Steel.

Zugai's father had lost his job at a steel factory years before. Zugai talked to local and national politicians to get their support for the deal. He thought that if they didn't agree, U.S. Steel would eventually close its factories near Pittsburgh.

Zugai told Trump that he knew Trump would not disappoint them. He also mentioned that Nippon Steel's plan to invest $14 billion in U.S. steel production would significantly improve people's lives.