(This March 14 story has been refiled to right the spelling of Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:) CEO Lourenco Goncalves’ surname in paragraph 9)

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Alexandra Alper

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Metal Corp, which has agreed to be purchased by Japan’s Nippon Metal for $14.9 billion, should stay a domestically owned American agency, President Joe Biden stated on Thursday – expressing specific opposition to the deal for the primary time.

“U.S. Metal has been an iconic American metal firm for greater than a century, and it’s important for it to stay an American metal firm that’s domestically owned and operated,” the president stated in an announcement.

It was, nonetheless, not instantly clear whether or not Biden would use any U.S regulatory authorities to scuttle the deal. The Committee on Overseas Funding in the USA (CFIUS), a strong panel that opinions international investments in U.S. corporations, has the ability to advocate the deal be blocked on nationwide safety grounds.

The White Home stated in December that the proposed acquisition deserved “critical scrutiny” given U.S. Metal’s core function in metal manufacturing that’s important to nationwide safety.

Nippon Metal stated in an announcement on Thursday that the acquisition would ship “clear advantages to U.S. Metal, union employees, the broader American metal business, and American nationwide safety.”

“We’re progressing by means of the regulatory overview, together with CFIUS, whereas trusting the rule-of-law, objectivity, and due course of we count on from the U.S. Authorities. We’re decided to see this by means of and full the transaction,” it stated.

The Japanese agency additionally stated in an preliminary assertion that there can be no layoffs and no plant closures till September 2026 below sure situations however later re-issued its assertion to say there can be no layoffs or plant closures because of the transaction.

Shares of U.S. Metal sank once more on Thursday and have tumbled 18% over two days to $38.26 on considerations that Biden would categorical his opposition. That is far beneath the proposed deal worth of $55 per share. The corporate was not instantly obtainable for remark.

Individually, Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves stated on Thursday he would think about one other bid for United States Metal (NYSE:) doubtless price not more than $30 per share if the take care of Nippon Metal falls aside.

Cleveland-Cliffs was among the many bidders for U.S. Metal.

U.S. opposition to the deal has the potential to overshadow an April 10 summit between Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida aimed toward boosting the long-standing safety alliance between their international locations within the face of rising Chinese language affect.

Biden, who’s operating for re-election this yr and has courted unions as a key constituent of political help, additionally known as United Steelworkers Worldwide President David McCall on Thursday. He reiterated that he has the “steelworkers’ again,” the White Home stated.

McCall stated Biden’s statements ought to finish debate concerning the deal.

“Permitting one among our nation’s largest metal producers to be bought by a foreign-owned company leaves us susceptible relating to assembly each our protection and demanding infrastructure wants,” he stated in an announcement.

CFIUS has met with the events to debate the deal, an individual acquainted with the matter stated.

The Treasury Division, which leads CFIUS, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, and the White Home declined to touch upon whether or not Biden deliberate to make use of its powers to dam the deal.

Based on a January submitting, Nippon Metal has dedicated to endeavor “all actions required” to acquire CFIUS clearance and to pay U.S. Metal a $565 million breakup price if it fails to take action.

Artwork Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth in New York, stated there have been all the time problems when international corporations look to purchase U.S.-based companies however Nippon Metal had an uphill battle particularly on account of timing.

“In an election yr, it is going to be a heavy carry to get all of the stakeholders comfy with the acquisition of a U.S. manufacturing icon,” Hogan added.