By Nandita Bose and Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Thursday met U.S. Steel Chief Executive David Buritt at the White House as the struggling steelmaker has been pushing for a decision on its long sought tie-up with Japan’s Nippon Steel .
A proposed $14.9 billion merger between the two companies was blocked last month by former President Joe Biden.
Trump has also opposed the deal but has welcomed Japanese investment in the technology sector. He will meet Friday with Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House.
Last year, Trump said “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.”
However, Nippon Steel said on Thursday that its bid fits with Trump’s goal of a stronger U.S. as the leaders of the two allies prepared to meet.
“We are convinced that our acquisition plan is the best proposal for U.S. Steel, and I hope that the (Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru) Ishiba-Trump meeting will convey that to Trump and open the way for a deal,” Takahiro Mori, Nippon Steel’s vice chairman, told reporters on Thursday.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and FedEx Executive Chairman and Founder Frederick Smith were also at the White House for meetings on Thursday. It remained unclear if they met Trump.
(This story has been corrected to delete reference to Mori due to meet Trump on Friday in paragraph 6)
(Reporting by Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Jasper Ward; Editing by Franklin Paul, Doina Chiacu and David Gregorio)
