White House urges 'serious scrutiny' of US Steel takeover deal

WASHINGTON - A proposed deal that would see US Steel Corp bought by Japan's Nippon Steel should be closely investigated by American authorities, the White House said, warning it could have national security implications.

Unveiling the planned transaction this week, the two companies depicted the deal as a marriage of the holders of top technologies that would boost steel output and accelerate efforts toward decarbonization.

But US Steel's possible sale abroad has triggered furious criticism in Washington and from trade unions.

President Joe Biden "believes the purchase of this iconic American-owned company by a foreign entity -- even one from a close ally -- appears to deserve serious scrutiny in terms of its potential impact on national security and supply chain reliability," National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard said in a statement.

The White House's intervention came as the companies asked the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) -- an interagency body established to review foreign takeovers of US firms -- to evaluate Nippon's $14.1 billion acquisition of Pittsburgh-based US Steel.

"We look forward to a successful review," said a statement from US Steel's press office.

"This is a strongly positive development for American steel, American jobs and America's national security," US Steel added.

Brainard said that President Biden's administration "will be ready to look carefully at the findings of any such investigation and to act if appropriate."

The combined company vowed to honour contract agreements between US Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW) union.

But the USW ripped the proposed deal as reflective of a "greedy, shortsighted attitude" of US Steel, which dates to 1901, and questioned the ability of Nippon to honour contracts.