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Molly Butler / Media Matters

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Fox echoes Trump's flip-flop on sale of US Steel

Fox and Trump previously opposed sale of the American steelmaking giant to Nippon Steel

Written by Zachary Pleat

Published

From President Donald Trump’s initial opposition to the sale of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel to Tokyo-based Nippon Steel during the 2024 presidential campaign through his approval of the sale this month with conditions for some sort of nationalization, several Fox News hosts were following his lead every step of the way — with some Fox personalities even crediting Trump for then-President Joe Biden’s decision to block the sale.

Fox host Laura Ingraham, seemingly the most outspoken Fox critic of the sale of the company last year, went from saying “Trump can’t in no way change his mind on” blocking the sale in early January to supporting his consideration of the sale last month. Ingraham's hypocrisy was joined by prime-time host Jesse Watters and Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade.

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  • Trump shifted his position from promising to block the sale of US Steel to approving its sale to Nippon Steel

    • CNBC reported that Nippon Steel “is expected to close its acquisition of U.S. Steel for $55 per share,” which “is the offer that Nippon originally made for the company before the deal was blocked in January.” CNBC reported that “President Joe Biden had blocked Nippon’s bid for U.S. Steel on national security grounds. ... But Trump ordered a new review of the proposed acquisition in April, despite his previous opposition to Nippon acquiring U.S. Steel.” [CNBC, 5/27/25]
    • On May 23, Trump approved the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel. Reuters reported that Trump “said on Sunday that the United States will have control over U.S. Steel as part of the company's partnership with Japanese firm Nippon Steel,” which, in the deal announced on May 23, will “invest $14 billion into U.S. Steel's operations, including up to $4 billion in a new steel mill.” [Reuters, 5/25/25]
    • On April 7, Trump had ordered a new review of the bid from Nippon Steel to purchase U.S. Steel. [CNBC, 4/7/25]
    • On February 7, the day Trump met with Japan’s prime minister, CBS News reported that Trump was now open to the sale. CBS noted that Trump “was considering reversing his disapproval of the merger.” [CBS News, 2/7/25]
    • Trump had opposed the sale on January 6. The New York Times reported that Trump wrote in a social media post, “Why would they want to sell U.S. Steel now when Tariffs will make it a much more profitable and valuable company?” [The New York Times, 1/6/25]
    • Following the presidential election, Trump had reiterated his opposition to the sale. On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “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. Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST! As President, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!” [Truth Social, 12/2/24]
    • During his October appearance at The Economic Club of Chicago, Trump said: “I would not let U.S. Steel be sold to [the] Japanese, by the way.” Trump added: “I would stop it if it hasn’t been completed by the time I’m president, because I think it sets a horrible tone.” [YouTube, 10/15/24]
    • Trump first vowed to block the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel in January 2024. Politico reported that after Trump met with the leader of the Teamsters union, he said: “I would block it instantaneously. Absolutely. We saved the steel industry. Now, U.S. Steel is being bought by Japan. So terrible.” Politico reported that “the brief remarks are Trump’s first comments on Nippon Steel’s $15 billion deal to purchase the iconic American company” and that his campaign refused to comment on the sale when it was first announced in December 2023. [Politico, 1/31/24]

  • Fox hosts initially opposed the sale of US Steel and praised Trump for pledging to block it

    • Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade: Opposing the sale of U.S. Steel is the “latest example” of former Vice President Kamala Harris “stealing a Donald Trump philosophy and belief.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/3/24]
    • Fox News host Laura Ingraham credited Trump for Biden’s decision to block the sale of U.S. Steel in September. Ingraham said: “Today, all of a sudden, after not doing anything for months, sources told The Washington Post that Biden will formally block the deal. Now, this is the power of economic populism, Trump, and the Angle.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 9/4/24]
    • Ingraham: “I don't believe the Harris-Biden, you know, switch on the topic” to block the sale of U.S. Steel. “It's obviously political expediency.” Her guest, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), said “Trump has been a leader on this from the beginning. The truth is U.S. Steel should not be sold.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 9/5/24]
    • Ingraham criticized the Biden economy as “an economy that ultimately did not work for the working people, where, you know, U.S. Steel could perhaps be sold to, you know, Nippon Steel.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 11/5/24]
    • Ingraham cited World War II to oppose the sale of U.S. Steel: If “we didn't have the ability to ramp up our manufacturing base, we never would have won World War II. That is a fact of life.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 11/13/24]
    • Fox host Jesse Watters praised Trump for his vow to block the sale of U.S. Steel. Watters said: “Over in Asia, Trump says he is not going to let Japan buy American steel companies. U.S. Steel will always be American-made.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 12/3/24]
    • Ingraham: “Trump can't in no way change his mind on” blocking the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel. She added: “It would be a disaster if he did.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 1/14/25]

  • Since the inauguration, the same Fox hosts have touted the purchase of US Steel and credited Trump for the deal

    • Fox & Friends in February touted the Nippon Steel offer to buy U.S. Steel under Trump. Co-host Ainsley Earhardt said: “Look at all that he [Trump] has achieved. … These are the investments he has brought back into the U.S. … $14.1 billion bid from Nippon Steel.” The show aired a graphic of announced foreign investments in the U.S. under Trump, with the Nippon Steel bid at the top. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 2/24/25]
    • In March, Watters praised Trump for the $14 billion bid from Nippon Steel to purchase U.S. Steel. Watters aired a similar graphic as the one on Fox & Friends, listing the bid at the top of a list of examples of announced foreign investments in the U.S. during the Trump administration. [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 3/3/25]

    A Fox graphic listing "Investments in the U.S. under President Trump" with "$14.1B bid from Nippon Steel" at the top

    • Kilmeade approved of Nippon Steel buying U.S. Steel during an interview with a Pennsylvania steelworker: “U.S. Steel will still be owned by U.S. Steel. They’ll be a minority owner — I think that’s a great deal.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/2/25]
    • Ingraham in April: “Trump’s taking another look at” the possible sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel, “as he should.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 4/8/25]

  • These Fox hosts have kept quiet on the air since Trump approved the deal

  • A search of the SnapStream database shows that Brian Kilmeade, Jesse Watters, and Laura Ingraham have failed to mention the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel on their programs since the deal was approved on May 23, although it was covered by others on Fox. Ingraham, however, did express skepticism about the deal in social media posts, though she softened her previous stance that “Trump can't in no way change his mind.”