Trump Touts US Steel Output Surpassing Japan After 26 Years

President Donald Trump announced that the United States produced more steel than Japan for the first time since 1999, calling it "record-setting numbers." Speaking on January 30, 2026, during an America 250th anniversary event, Trump highlighted 2025 crude steel production figures from the World Steel Association: 82 million tons in the US (up 3.1%) versus Japan's 80 million tons (down 4%). He credited tariffs and a manufacturing boom driven by AI data centers. Trump also boasted of over $18 trillion in investments flowing into the US in the past 11 months—eclipsing a prior $3 trillion record—potentially reaching $20 trillion, fueling thousands of new plants. Fact-checks note these are largely unverified foreign pledges amid trade policies. The milestone elevates the US to the world's third-largest steel producer, signaling a manufacturing resurgence.12131313