Lee County, Iowa – The White House confirmed Monday that the nation’s largest steel plant ever will rise in southeast Iowa, a project the Trump administration says will revitalize a region long plagued by job loss.
Mesabi Metallics, a Minnesota‑based company owned by Indian interests, will invest $15 billion to build the new mill along the Mississippi River. The company projects the facility will generate more than 1,700 permanent positions and as many as 6,000 construction jobs during the build‑out.
“Southeast Iowa, my district, has long had jobs leave and go overseas,” said Rep. Mariannette Miller‑Meeks, R‑Iowa, calling the development “transformational” for the area.
President Donald Trump praised the deal as a rare example of a fully domestic supply chain. “This deal will be mined, melted, and made right here in the USA, which is something very unusual,” he said at the announcement.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright called the project “a win for American national security, a massive economic win, and a vote of confidence in the fabulous State of Iowa.” The administration highlighted its broader reshoring agenda, noting that tariffs and deregulation have helped make the plant possible.
“Soon after my inauguration, I imposed powerful 50 % tariffs on all foreign steel, and now our steel industry is roaring back to life,” Trump added, linking the mill to the administration’s trade policy.
The plant will also benefit from a planned natural‑gas pipeline, though officials did not specify which project will serve the facility.
In addition to the new mill, Mesabi Metallics is commissioning a $2.5 billion iron‑ore mine and pellet plant in Minnesota—the first U.S. iron‑ore mine opened in roughly 50 years—further securing domestic sources of raw material.
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the plant will produce steel at a price competitive with imports from China, underscoring the economic advantage of keeping production on American soil.
Local leaders and business groups welcomed the announcement, noting the potential boost to the regional economy, tax base, and workforce development. The project aligns with the administration’s focus on reducing dependence on foreign supply chains and strengthening national security through domestic manufacturing.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
