Three Republican senators oppose Nippon-U.S. Steel deal over national security

(Reuters) -Three U.S. Senators have urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to block the $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, citing national security.

Nippon clinched a deal on Monday to buy U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion in cash, prevailing in an auction for the 122-year-old iconic steelmaker over rivals such as Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:), ArcelorMittal (NYSE:) and Nucor (NYSE:).

“Despite the absence of any security-focused deliberation on U.S. Steel’s part, domestic steel production is vital to U.S. national security,” according to the letter on Tuesday from Republican Senators JD (NASDAQ:) Vance, Josh Hawley and Marco Rubio.

Yellen is also the chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a panel that scrutinizes deals for potential national security risks. The CFIUS is expected to review the transaction.

At least three Democratic senators, Sherrod Brown, John Fetterman and Joe Manchin, have also expressed opposition to the deal.

The United Steelworkers union, which represents thousands of workers at the storied steelmaker, has also come out against the transaction.