The logos of Nippon Steel Corp. are didplayed at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan March 18, 2019. Picture taken March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi
(Reuters) -U.S President Donald Trump approved Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel on Friday, capping a tumultuous 18-month effort by the companies that survived union opposition and two national security reviews.
Trump signed an executive order saying the tie-up could move forward if the companies sign an agreement with the Treasury Department resolving national security concerns posed by the deal. The companies then announced they had signed the agreement, fulfilling the conditions of Trump's directive and effectively garnering approval for the merger.
