Chairman Rothman OP-ED in Penn Live

U.S. Steel will remain in Western Pennsylvania thanks to President Trump | Opinion

By Greg Rothman

When President Donald Trump came to Western Pennsylvania last week, he wasn’t there for a photo op or a soundbite. He came to deliver, and that’s exactly what he did.

Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, U.S. Steel will stay right where it belongs: headquartered in Pittsburgh, run by Americans, and employing Pennsylvanians. The $14 billion U.S. Steel–Nippon Steel partnership means modernized plants, increased production, and most importantly, jobs for the hardworking men and women of Western Pennsylvania.

It makes Pittsburgh a high-tech hub on the verge of a renaissance of AI and data centers. These centers rely on one key industry to thrive: steel. AI needs steel, and steel needs AI.

The deal ensures that plants stay open, union workers remain on the job, and steelworkers receive $5,000 bonuses. That really means something to the people of Western Pennsylvania.

That’s money in pockets and stability for families who’ve built their lives around these jobs. You don’t hear about deals like this often, but when you have someone like President Donald Trump in charge, they can happen, and they do.

This wasn’t a backroom deal. Trump made it clear: U.S. Steel stays in the United States. He doubled tariffs on foreign steel to 50%, ensuring American steel remains competitive and protected. He stepped in, protected Pennsylvania jobs, and laid out a plan for a stronger future for American industry. That’s what real leadership looks like: clear priorities, firm decisions, and results that matter to working families.

And let’s be clear about something else, while President Trump was delivering for steelworkers, the Biden administration was actively working against them. Biden and his team rejected the deal outright, ignoring the benefits to workers, manufacturing, and national security. Instead of embracing a private-sector solution to strengthen our industrial base, the Biden administration played politics, and Pennsylvania workers almost paid the price.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, too, sided against the deal, echoing talking points from union bosses rather than standing up for the economic future of Western Pennsylvania, saying he “would do whatever he could to block it.” Now that the deal has gone through, he too found a way to sound like he lent a helping hand.

Contrast that with the Republicans in Pennsylvania who stepped up. Congressmen Mike Kelly and Dan Meuser were vocal, effective advocates for protecting our steel industry. State enate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward worked behind the scenes to support efforts to keep steel jobs here at home. And U.S. Senator Dave McCormick has consistently stood with Pennsylvania workers and called for policies that keep American industry strong.

Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Shapiro remained on the sidelines. He said little when the deal was under attack, and even less when Pennsylvanians needed a leader to fight for their jobs. Now, after the hard work is done, he’s trying to jump in front of the cameras and take credit for what President Trump accomplished. That’s not leadership, that’s politics as usual. The truth is, when it came time to choose between standing with workers or pleasing powerful union executives, Shapiro chose the latter.

Here in Pennsylvania, we don’t want photo-op politicians. We want leaders who will fight for our jobs, our economy, and our families. President Trump has always done that. His record, from cutting taxes, to securing our borders, to rebuilding our manufacturing base, speaks for itself. And when he tells Pennsylvania workers he has their back, he means it.

As a State Senator and Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, I’ve spoken with steelworkers, small business owners, and families across this state. They want opportunity, not obstruction. They want someone in their corner, not someone who shows up at the finish line to claim the trophy.

This deal is about strength. It’s about protecting our industrial base, supporting working families, and proving that America still builds things, and builds them better than anyone else. And it proves something we’ve always known here in Pennsylvania: when Donald Trump says he’s going to fight for you, he does it.

Come November, Pennsylvanians will remember who had their back, and who didn’t even show up.

Greg Rothman is the Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania and represents parts of Cumberland and Dauphin Counties in the Pennsylvania State Senate.

Read the article here: Penn Live