A powerful government panel on Monday failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel, leaving a decision to President Joe Biden,

A US national security panel has deadlocked on its review of the sale of United States Steel Corp. to Nippon Steel Corp., a procedural development that opens the door for President Joe Biden to block the transaction.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel on Monday failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel, leaving a decision to President Joe Biden, a longtime opponent of the deal.

A committee of top government agency officials has notified President Joe Biden that it has not reached a consensus on whether a sale of US Steel to a Japanese rival poses a national security risk, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The president has 15 days to decide whether to approve or reject the nearly $15 billion sale of the iconic steel company to Japan's Nippon Steel.