Nippon Steel has not ruled out suing the United States government if its proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel gets blocked.

“If this were to fall through without a legitimate reason or proper procedures, of course we would consider taking legal action against the U.S. government,” Chairman and CEO Eiji Hashimoto told Japanese weekly Shunkan Bunshun in a story published Tuesday.

Kayo Kikuchi, a spokesperson for Nippon Steel, told The Japan Times on Wednesday that the reported remarks made by Hashimoto do not indicate the company’s commitment to initiate a lawsuit, and that it does not reflect a change from the company’s aim of completing the deal by the end of 2024.