Following President Trump's announcement to double tariffs on steel and aluminum, Cleveland-Cliffs saw its shares jump 25.2% in early trading. The surge reflects the company's financial gain from protectionist policies that many view as authoritarian moves impacting market dynamics and worker rights.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. spent $590,000 on lobbying efforts in 2025, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets from Senate Office of Public Records, highlighting the company's active engagement in political influence.

The OpenSecrets profile reveals that Cleveland-Cliffs contributed $343,417 to political campaigns and spent $2,090,000 on lobbying during the 2024 cycle. This data highlights the company's engagement in political financing and influence activities which are often linked to advancing corporate interests at the expense of democratic accountability.

A recently disclosed $310,000 in lobbying expenditures by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. for Q1 2025 reveals the company's efforts to influence policy on issues including steel tariffs, trade investigations, environmental regulations, and domestic procurement. The disclosure highlights the company's active engagement with lawmakers and regulatory agencies.

On January 13, 2025, Cleveland-Cliffs CEO reiterated his intention to acquire U.S. Steel while making anti-Japan comments. The remarks, highlighting a xenophobic tone, raise concerns about the use of nationalistic rhetoric intertwined with strategic business maneuvers.

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves issued a statement on January 6, 2025, dismissing a lawsuit that accuses the company of coordinating with union leadership to block the merger between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel. In his remarks, Goncalves labelled the suit as a 'shameless effort' to scapegoat others, while emphasizing national security concerns and defending the company's position in protecting American steelmaking infrastructure.

On July 15, 2024, Cleveland-Cliffs announced its definitive agreement to acquire Stelco Holdings Inc. The deal, which retains Stelco's name and Canadian identity, ensures continued operation of Stelco’s facilities, preserves 1,800 union jobs, and reinforces the company’s commitment to community investment and labor rights.

Cleveland-Cliffs published its 2023 report detailing measures taken under the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The report outlines due diligence steps in supplier onboarding, recertification under the UFLPA, robust supply chain mapping, and comprehensive internal policies promoting human rights and ethical business practices, while also emphasizing strong union representation and community engagement.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. made an unsolicited $7.3 billion offer to acquire U.S. Steel in August 2023, an action that could result in near-monopoly control over integrated steel production in the United States. This move has prompted lobbying by the auto industry, which warns that consolidation could lead to anti-competitive pricing and increased market power that may inadvertently foster authoritarian economic structures.

The Federal Election Commission page confirms the existence of the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Political Action Committee linked to the company, detailing its financial summary and operational structure as a Corporation PAC - Qualified with modest fundraising figures.