President Joe Biden said he is willing to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American who wants to leave the country is evacuated.
"Americans should understand that we're gonna try to get it done before Aug. 31st," Biden said in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.
The president previously set an Aug. 31 deadline to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.
But when pressed on whether Americans would be left behind, Biden told Stephanopoulos that he would be willing to stay beyond the deadline if more Americans needed to be evacuated.
Up to 15,000 Americans were reportedly in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover.
In the interview, Biden defended the Afghanistan withdrawal despite the chaotic nature of the past week.
"The idea that somehow there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," Biden said.
Biden added that no one expected the Taliban to take over Afghanistan in a matter of days.
