The chairman and CEO of Cleveland Cliffs is doing anything but abandoning his interests in acquiring U-S Steel.
Lourenco Goncalves marked the anniversary of his arrival in the United States from Brazil and the acquisition of AK Steel, by holding a news conference at the company's Butler Works.
During the news conference he said “Japan is evil” and explained why Cleveland Cliffs should own U.S. Steel.
Goncalves said the common belief is China is bad. Japan, he says, is even worse.
He says Japan taught China how to dump steel.
Tugging at one of the seven American flags behind him, Goncalves said Japan hasn't learned anything.
regardless of it being Joe Biden or Donald Trump in the White House, the Nippon Steel purchase of US Steel has been blocked.
“Japan, be aware, you don’t understand who you are, you did not anything since 1945,” said Goncalves during the news conference.
He says the company will continue to pursue U.S. Steel, but nothing can happen until U.S. Steel and Nippon abandon their current deal.
He wouldn't confirm reports that he was working with Lucor Steel to buy U.S. Steel because anything would be speculation until abandonment happens.
Goncalves says his vision is to keep the name U.S. Steel, move to Pittsburgh and prove the company's dominance by telling UPMC to remove its signage atop the Steel Building in Downtown Pittsburgh.
He also wants to talk to Mon Valley mayors who have supported Nippon Steel, but he says he wants to work with them to make US Steel strong again.
Goncalves arrived in the U.S. on this day in 1998. It’s also been five years, to the day, that Cleveland Cliffs acquired the AK Steel plant.