Gary Mayor Eddie Melton has been supportive of a deal between Nippon and U.S. Steel for months, citing how it would benefit Gary Works. In August, it was announced that Nippon Steel would invest $300 million into the local facility. A Nippon executive later said the company would invest $1 billion into Gary Works.

A planned merger of the Japanese and American giants, announced in 2023, has traveled through an election, two presidents and strong union opposition.