Japan’s biggest steelmaker, Nippon Steel Corp. has hired former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to help with its effort to acquire U.S. Steel the Japanese company said on Saturday.

“We look forward to working alongside him to further emphasize the ways in which Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel bolsters the country’s economic and national security,” Nippon Steel said in a statement to Reuters.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency and Bloomberg, which first reported the appointment, said Pompeo had been hired as an adviser. Nippon Steel said in its statement that Pompeo had not been given a specific job title within the company.

The world’s No. 4 steelmaker added that Pompeo, who served as secretary of state during Donald Trump’s presidency, was a well-respected figure among both Democrats and Republicans.