By Steve Holland and Nandita Bose
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with the CEOs of U.S. Steel and FedEx on Thursday, White House officials said.
Nippon Steel’s bid to acquire U.S. Steel was blocked last month by then-President Joe Biden, citing national security concerns.
U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt has appealed to Trump to reverse the move.
Trump has remained vocal about his opposition to the Japanese company’s acquisition of U.S. Steel.
“I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan,” Trump said in December.
However, Nippon Steel said on Thursday that its proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel (X.N) fits with Trump’s goal of a stronger United States as the leaders of the two allies prepared to meet.
Takahiro Mori, Nippon Steel’s vice chairman, said he hopes Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will convey that message when he meets with Trump in the coming days and “open the way for a deal.”
“We are convinced that our acquisition plan is the best proposal for U.S. Steel,” he said.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward, Editing by Franklin Paul and Doina Chiacu)
