U.S. Steel’s chief, David Burritt, expressed confidence on Tuesday that the sale of the American manufacturer to a Japanese owner would close “on its merits” despite bipartisan backlash.

Nippon Steel plans to sell at least 30 billion yen ($211 million) in assets in this fiscal year to manage its debt, the Nikkei quoted its vice chairman as saying on Friday, as it waits to know the fate of its $14.