On the bike trail, Gov. Shapiro talks Nippon Steel, Steelers, tourism and Biden

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that Nippon Steel pledged to move its U.S. headquarters to Pittsburgh from Houston if its bid to buy U.S. Steel is successful.

In an exclusive interview with TribLive, Shapiro said he personally spoke with the Japanese steelmaker and secured the commitment.

When asked if he offered any state tax breaks or incentives in exchange for the assurance, Shapiro emphatically said, “absolutely none. Zero.”

Shapiro — who made his comments during a wide-ranging interview that touched on the presidential election and Pittsburgh winning the 2026 NFL Draft — reiterated his skepticism of the proposed $15 billion acquisition, which has drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle and from the steelworkers union.

“This deal is nowhere near being in a position to close,” Shapiro said. “Nippon has failed to satisfy the needs of the United Steelworkers. And I stand with those steelworkers and their jobs, and they are gonna have a seat at the table of any transaction, as they should.”

TribLive caught up with Shapiro during the governor’s swing throughout Pennsylvania to promote the state’s new tourism program.

The 15-minute interview was conducted in Fayette County while riding about eight miles on the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail at Ohiopyle. The governor was accompanied by First Lady Lori Shapiro and their four children.

“We are biking here in Ohiopyle, and later tonight we are going to be blowing glass in the Strip District in Pittsburgh,” Shapiro, 50, said.

“We will make 50 stops in, I think, 16 counties over about six days,” said the governor.

His goal: to showcase Pennsylvania’s $77 billion tourism industry and convince residents and visitors that it can grow even larger.

Shapiro, of Montgomery County, is about a year-and-a-half into his first term. During his tenure, his administration has dealt with the Interstate 95 bridge collapse and quick rebuild in Philadelphia, and the proposed sale of U.S. Steel.

Japanese steel giant Nippon has pledged to keep the iconic Western Pennsylvania company in the region. This week, Reuters reported that Nippon said it would relocate its U.S. headquarters to Pittsburgh if the U.S. Steel sale goes through.

But the United Steelworkers labor union has decried the proposed sale, saying it has been shut out of any of the process.

Politicians across the political spectrum, including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and Shapiro, have criticized the proposal and say U.S. Steel should remain under domestic ownership.

Interviewed Pa. Gov Josh Shapiro today in Ohiopyle while riding bikes. He never stopped riding, so we talked on the go. Discussed PA’s new tourism plan, NFL draft to Pittsburgh, proposed US Steel sale, and President Biden. Stay tuned for the full story later at ⁦@TribLIVE⁩ pic.twitter.com/Ke0dBntkuK

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) May 23, 2024

On the domestic front, Shapiro talked up the state’s new tourism motto: The Great American Getaway. Shapiro said it was chosen because the state is one of the top destinations in the country for day trips and weekend getaways.

There are 75 million people that live within a four-hour drive of Pennsylvania, Shapiro said, and he wants all of them to visit and spend money in the state.

Shapiro is hyping up big things that are coming to Pennsylvania, all centered on 2026, the nation’s 250th anniversary.

That year, Newtown Square in Southeastern Pennsylvania will host the PGA Championship, Philadelphia will host the World Cup and the MLB All-Star Game, and Pittsburgh will host the NFL Draft, which Shapiro called “the signature event.”

“We just want to highlight the importance of tourism and show the public all the amazing things there are to do in Pennsylvania,” he said. “They are pleased that the state government is paying attention to their community. Showing up on their Main Streets.”

Shapiro has enjoyed high approval ratings among Pennsylvanians throughout his term. His name has been floated as a possible presidential candidate in 2028.

When asked about his plans for a potential reelection campaign in 2026 or higher office later, Shapiro brushed off the question and said he is focused on boosting Pennsylvania.

“We will talk about politics at some point down the road,” he said. “I am just focused on selling Pennsylvania now and through 2026 when the eyes of the nation will be on us for our 250th birthday.”

Shapiro’s high approval stands in contrast to another Pennsylvania son, President Biden, who hails from Scranton.

An April Muhlenberg College poll shows about 64% of Pennsylvanians strongly or somewhat approve of Shapiro, compared to 35% approval for Biden.

Shapiro said the president has a strong record in Pennsylvania thanks to bringing two regional hydrogen hubs to the state, fixing the Fern Hollow Bridge after its 2022 collapse in Pittsburgh and rebuilding after the I-95 bridge failure, and funding high-speed internet for rural Pennsylvanians.

He said that is a big contrast with Trump, who Shapiro said is focused on ending Obamacare health insurance for 1.2 million Pennsylvanians and restricting women’s abortion rights.

Shapiro said it is too early in the campaign for Democrats like him to panic. He said that he expects voters to come out for Biden as the November election nears.

“I think that the president not only has an opportunity to sell his strong record, which I am going to help him do, but also to prosecute the case against Donald Trump and why he would bring chaos to this commonwealth and this country,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro was soon on the move again, heading to Pittsburgh for an early afternoon press conference on the NFL Draft.