Nippon Steel

Ballard Partners represents Nippon Steel as the Japanese giant fights to clinch its $14B deal to acquire US Steel in wake of political opposition from the Harris and Trump presidential campaigns.

US Steel chief David Burritt said Sept. 4 that he would have to close plants and move its headquarters from Pittsburgh, if the Nippon deal falls apart.

Ballard Partners, which has close ties to Trump, signed on with Nippon on April 7 as a subcontractor to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Brian Ballard, who was a top Trump fundraiser in Florida, heads his firm’s effort.

He is joined by Hunter Morgen, deputy director in the Office of Trade & Manufacturing in the Trump administration; Daniel McFaul, chief of staff to Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz; and Tola Thompson, aide to Florida Rep. Carrie Meek.

Ballard received $70K in fees for its work during the second quarter.

The firm also represents Japan’s DC Embassy. That relationship began last April and has been worth $300K in fees for the Florida-headquartered shop.

Akin Gump, which signed Nippon as a client on Dec. 23, 2023, has received $1M for its efforts.

It also uses VOX Global and Valiant Strategies as Nippon subcontractors.

VOX has received $60K in fees for work that is headed by James Baril, who was an aide to Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

Former Texas Democratic Congressman Filemon Vela formed Valiant in March. The former vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee resigned from Congress in 2022 for a partnership at Akin Gump.

Valiant, which began its work for Nippon on April 1, got a $30K Q2 fee.