Up First from NPR
Shangri-La Dialogue, Nippon/U.S. Steel Deal, Taylor Swift Gets Her Masters
Sat, 31 May 2025
At the annual security forum in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterizes China as a threat. President Trump celebrates a partnership between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel, but he's short on specifics. After years of wrangling, Taylor Swift gets control of her first master recordings.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Chapter 1: What are the key takeaways from the Shangri-La Dialogue?
China's defense minister isn't at the Shangri-La dialogue.
But U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is.
And at the security forum, he's warning Asian military officials about China. I'm Scott Simon.
I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is Up First from NPR News. Japan-based Nippon Steel wanted to buy U.S. Steel.
Both the Biden and Trump administrations were opposed.
But last night at a Pennsylvania steel plant, President Trump touted a deal that he says allows a partnership between the two companies.
The details are unclear, but what do people in and around Pittsburgh think about it?
Also, Taylor Swift is back in control of her first master recordings.
So please stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your weekend.
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Chapter 2: How does the Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel deal impact American workers?
This is an incredible deal for American steel workers, and it includes vital protections to ensure that all steel workers will keep their jobs and all facilities in the United States will remain open and thriving.
this is a deal Trump opposed on the campaign trail, but trying to reassure his critics, he said U.S. Steel will still have an American CEO and a corporate board with a U.S. majority.
But the president was light on specifics and admitted later there is no final deal yet. And here's Don Gagne joins us now from Pittsburgh. Don, thanks for being with us. Good morning. What's the reaction in steel country?
I've been in and around Allegheny County these past couple of days and in West Mifflin where a key U.S. Steel facility is located. So let's start there with the local mayor. His name is Chris Kelly.
What was your immediate reaction? I started to cry. I mean, I've lived this for a year and a half and I thought, wow, this is, I wasn't expecting it.
And he made it clear they were tears of joy he's talking.
Did the mayor talk about how his community had been hurt by the decline of U.S. Steel?
Yeah, he's lived it. He grew up in a nearby town where he says it was decades of decline. He says one mill after another closed and more than 200,000 jobs disappeared.
And I saw the devastation that came along with individuals losing their homes and their jobs, their cars, their families. turn to drug abuse, eventually domestic violences, and I didn't want to see that.
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Chapter 5: What is the significance of Taylor Swift regaining her master recordings?
Of course, Don, it's interesting that the president has really increased trade pressure on other countries. What do his supporters say about Nippon Steel, which is, after all, a Japanese company, potentially taking over a company that was once such a cornerstone of U.S. manufacturing?
And that was a big reason during the campaign last year that both candidate Trump and President Biden opposed this proposed deal with Nippon Steel. Now, though, such concerns seem to be overridden by the prospect of more jobs. But listen to this. I heard this from a local resident. His name is Mike Medich. I'm glad it's Japan rather than China.
because China has a lot of investments in our country, which I don't think they should have. And I'll add here that Medich doesn't necessarily see this as a big engine for new jobs, but he says had this mill closed, that would have been a real blow to the community.
And here's Don Gagne. Don, thanks so much for being with us.
It's a pleasure.
After years of bad blood over the ownership of her early albums, Taylor Swift's master recordings finally belonged to her.
She made the announcement on her website Friday, calling it more than a dream come true.
Swift had already re-recorded four of the six albums, which she calls Taylor's versions.
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson joins us now. Stephen, thanks for being with us. Thank you, Scott. It's been a long time coming for Taylor Swift, hasn't it?
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