Steel is the heart of industry, and has been since before the Industrial Revolution. The history of modern mankind is the history of steel. This wonderful alloy has been around since roughly 4,000 BC. Tough, high-carbon steel was being made in crucibles in Britain at around 500 BC, and the Romans favored Spanish steel for their swords. In the mid-19th century, producing steel in industrial quantities was made possible using the Bessemer and Siemens-Martin processes, and later in the 20th century by the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) process.
Steel, these days, goes into millions of products, from automobiles to surgical devices. The United States has, in the past, been a champion among the steel-making nations. That may be happening again: On Friday, President Trump announced that a famous old name, United States Steel, will be remaining in Pittsburgh, a grand old steel town, as part of a partnership with Japan's Nippon Steel.
🚨 BREAKING: Trump announces U.S. Steel will officially REMAIN in the USA, Pittsburgh.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 23, 2025
+70K jobs, +$14B.
And a RALLY will take place in Pittsburgh, PA on May 30th. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RLC6auWmE7
The President's Truth Social post reads in full:
I am proud to announce that, after much consideration and negotiation, US Steel will REMAIN in America, and keep its Headquarters in the Great City of Pittsburgh. For many years, the name, “United States Steel” was synonymous with Greatness, and now, it will be again. This will be a planned partnership between United States Steel and Nippon Steel, which will create at least 70,000 jobs, and add $14 Billion Dollars to the U.S. Economy. The bulk of that Investment will occur in the next 14 months. This is the largest Investment in the History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. My Tariff Policies will ensure that Steel will once again be, forever, MADE IN AMERICA. From Pennsylvania to Arkansas, and from Minnesota to Indiana, AMERICAN MADE is BACK. I will see you all at US Steel, in Pittsburgh, on Friday, May 30th, for a BIG Rally. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
The partnership with Nippon Steel, another old name in steelmaking, will, according to the president, create 70,000 jobs and bring $14 billion into the economy. That's nothing to sneeze at.
See Also: Winning: Trump Admin Announces Yuge Trade Pact With United Kingdom
A Needless Proxy Fight Is Ruining a Historic Deal for an American Manufacturer
The electoral implications may be even larger. Just take a look back at the 2024 presidential election, which we were all sweating out just a few short months ago. Donald Trump won, in no small part, by sweeping the Rust Belt. There were seven key swing states, and three of them - Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania - are Rust Belt states. President Trump swept the Rust Belt, while also picking off Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, and Arizona; six of those states had gone for Joe Biden in 2020, in the official results.
Keeping the White House in Republican hands means keeping the Rust Belt voters. Keeping the Rust Belt voters means keeping them working. Keeping them working means doing what the Rust Belt has done: Heavy industry, making things. To make things, they need steel.
And Pittsburgh is a steel town, in a steel state.
If this works, if Pittsburgh and the Rust Belt see the resurgence the president is shooting for, well, the electoral implications might keep those key states in the GOP column for a generation. But then, the American electorate is nothing if not fickle.
Editor’s Note: To celebrate the passage of the tremendous One Big, Beautiful Bill, we’re offering a fire sale on VIP memberships!
Join us in the fight against the radical left today and support our reporting as President Trump continues to usher in the Golden Age of America. Use promo code POTUS47 at checkout to get 74% off!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member