President Donald Trump said Friday that the planned sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel would take on the form of an investment by the Japanese conglomerate.

No details were provided, but the change of tack would suggest a scuttling of the $14.9 billion deal, which was steeped in politics and American exceptionalism, as U.S. Steel remains a symbolic icon of the country’s early industrial might.

Neither U.S. Steel or Nippon Steel spokespeople were available to comment immediately following the president’s press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

The proposed sale was blocked by former President Joe Biden last month on national security grounds, which the companies challenged with the U.S. Court of Appeals and other lawsuits. Trump has repeatedly said that he would block the deal to keep U.S. Steel as an American-owned business.

But Friday’s shift showed the wiggle room Trump has often found between the campaign trail sound bytes and White House policies.

“They’ll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase,” he said, calling the apparent change of plans “very exciting” for U.S. Steel.

Trump said he planned to meet with Nippon representatives next week “to mediate and arbitrate.” Reuters reported Thursday the president was scheduled to meet with U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt.

United Steelworkers President David McCall said the union was still concerned about Nippon’s interest in U.S. Steel, and would await details on the reported investment.

Trump’s announcement comes weeks after Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves touted an “All-American” alternative for its rival’s future, which reportedly involved a hefty Nucor investment in a portion of U.S. Steel.

Last week, the asset manager Ancora said it acquired a 0.18% stake in U.S. Steel and would seek to end the Nippon takeover, and install its own chief executive and board. The proposed CEO in the Ancora plan was Alan Kestenbaum, the former head of Stelco before its sale to Cleveland-Cliffs.