Steel Mills

Burritt hits back after Biden thwarts USS/Nippon deal
Written by Ethan Bernard
January 3, 2025
The chief executive of U.S. Steel has come out against President Biden’s decision to block the USS/Nippon Steel deal, calling it “corrupt.”
U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt labeled Biden’s action “shameful and corrupt” in a statement late Friday afternoon, following the president’s announcement earlier in the day.
“He gave a political payback to a union boss out of touch with his members while harming our company’s future, our workers, and our national security,” Burritt said.
He was likely referring to United Steelworkers (USW) union International President David McCall, who earlier in the day had praised the decision. The union has opposed the deal since it was announced in December 2023.
Burritt added that the move also “insulted Japan, a vital economic and national security ally, and put American competitiveness at risk.”
“The Chinese Communist Party leaders in Beijing are dancing in the streets. And Biden did it all while refusing to even meet with us to learn the facts,” Burritt said.
He also applauded the merits of the now-blocked deal. “Make no mistake: this investment is what guarantees a great future for U.S. Steel, our employees, our communities, and our country.”
Burritt ended the statement on a defiant note. “We intend to fight President Biden’s political corruption.”
Both Japan’s Nippon and Pittsburgh-based USS have hinted at legal action against the US government after the $14.9-billion deal was torpedoed by the Biden administration on national security grounds.
Find SMU’s in-depth coverage of Biden’s decision here.
Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Steel Mills
Cliffs touts steel stamping solution to replace aluminum in automotive
Cliffs said it successfully completed a defect-free trial production of exposed steel parts using aluminum-forming equipment in collaboration with an unnamed OEM,
Nucor navigates mixed flat-rolled markets with strategic muscle
Nucor entered the fourth quarter with clear forward momentum: stronger-than-expected results, solid sheet and plate demand, and construction progress on a major new mill that should add capacity next year.
Nucor scraps plans for new rebar micro mill in Pacific Northwest
Nucor has pulled the plug on a planned rebar micro mill in the Pacific Northwest.
Nucor profits jump, but company cautions on Q4 outlook
Nucor’s profits more than doubled in the third quarter year over year, but the company expects Q4’25 to be lower sequentially.
SDI announces proprietary low-carbon EDGE products
Steel Dynamics has announced lower-embodied-carbon steel products BIOEDGE and EDGE, and expects “immediate interest” from several markets for some of the offerings.
