Trump supports Union Pacific's takeover of Norfolk Southern - report

[Norfolk Southern locomotive cargo freight train with cars passing on railroad tracks in Georgia downtown midtown city in summer]
ablokhin/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

President Donald Trump made comments supporting Union Pacific's (NYSE:UNP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UNP]) planned $72 billion acquisition of rival railroad operator Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSC]).

“Union Pacific is a great railroad, and they want to add a railroad that had a mistake at a place very close to my heart,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, according to a Bloomberg account [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-19/trump-offers-support-for-union-pacific-norfolk-southern-deal?embedded-checkout=true] of the event.

“Well, they’re trying to buy that railroad that had the problem," Trump added. "And it sounds good to me, to be honest with you, sounds good to me."

Trump's comments come as the railroad regulator in the U.S., the Surface Transportation Board, will have to decide on the deal at some point. If approved, the deal is not expected to close until the early part of 2027.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UNP]) CEO Jim Vena discussed the impact of the company's proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSC]) with Trump in the White House [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4494544-union-pacific-works-the-white-house-as-it-looks-for-regulatory-clearance-on-the-norfolk-southern-deal] earlier this month, Blooomberg reported at the time.

Shares of Norfolk Southern rose 3% on Monday, while Union Pacific gained 2.8%.

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