Keystone pipeline won't use US steel despite President Trump pledge

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Keystone XL oil pipeline won't use American steel in its construction, despite what President Donald Trump says.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says that's due to language in a presidential directive President Trump issued in January. Sanders says the directive applies to new pipelines or those being repaired. She says it would be hard to do an about face on Keystone because it's already under construction and the steel has been acquired.

President Trump said as recently as last week that Keystone and another pipeline must use American steel "or we're not building one."

Shortly after taking office, President Trump used his executive powers to greenlight the two pipeline projects that had been blocked by President Barack Obama.

The Keystone pipeline would run from Canada to refineries in the Gulf Coast.