US President Donald Trump’s comments last week that Nippon Steel Corp. would invest in United States Steel Corp. instead of pursuing a takeover have surprised shareholders and blindsided both companies. The proposed investment, announced on February 7 after a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, was not communicated to either US Steel or Nippon Steel beforehand, according to individuals familiar with the matter.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-14/us-steel-nippon-steel-were-blindsided-by-trump-investment-talk