President Biden told his fellow G7 leaders that the U.S. is on pace to complete its evacuation operation in Afghanistan by his Aug. 31 deadline, and that staying longer would increase the risk to U.S. troops, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.
Why it matters: Allies including the U.K. and France have lobbied the Biden administration to press the Taliban to extend the timeline, fearing they won't be able to get their citizens and Afghan allies out in time. But the Taliban has said it views the Aug. 31 as a red line, and Biden is still aiming to get out before then — though he has asked for "contingency plans," the White House said.
