In this file photo, members of the US Army stand at a checkpoint in Buwri Tana District, Khost Province, Afghanistan on August 9, 2012. US President Joe Biden warned that a deadline to withdraw all American soldiers from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021 as part of a deal with the Taliban was possible but "tough." "Could happen, but it is tough," Biden said when asked in a TV interview broadcast on March 17, 2021. (JOSE CABEZAS / AFP)

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that it would be hard for the United States to meet the May 1 deadline to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

"It's gonna be hard to meet the May 1 deadline in terms of tactical reasons, hard to get those troops out," Biden told reporters in his first formal press conference since taking office.

Biden said that the United States is in consultation with US allies on this issue, adding that the withdrawal would be in "a safe and orderly way."

The Pentagon said that there are roughly 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan, but US media recently said the number did not include 1,000 more US special forces in the country

"It is not my intention to stay there for a long time, the question is how and what circumstance do we meet that agreement that was made by President (Donald) Trump," he continued.

"But we are not staying a long time," he said. "We will leave, the question is when we leave."

When asked if the United States will have troops in Afghanistan next year, Biden replied, "I can't picture that being the case."

Adam Smith, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, suggested Wednesday that withdrawing all US forces from Afghanistan by the May 1 deadline is "too soon" due to logistics reasons.

"You cannot pull out 10,000 plus troops in any sort of reasonable way in six weeks," said the Democrat.

US media reported last week that Biden was considering a six-month extension for US troops in Afghanistan.

ALSO READ: Foreign troops 'to stay in Afghanistan beyond May deadline'

The Pentagon said that there are roughly 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan, but US media recently said the number did not include 1,000 more US special forces in the country.

Besides, about 7,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan rely on US logistics and security support.

The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in US history.

The United States and the Afghan Taliban signed an agreement in late February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

The Biden administration had noted that the Taliban had not met its commitment under the US-Taliban deal.

German troops to stay on

Germany paved the way for its troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond an April 30 deadline that the United States last year agreed with the Taliban for the withdrawal of US forces after nearly two decades of war.

Lawmakers approved late on Thursday a new mandate which allows the German military to keep up to 1,300 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO mission until Jan 31, 2022, Reuters reports from Berlin.

READ MORE: US says no decision yet on troops in Afghanistan after May 1

The current parliamentary mandate for the German operation expires at the end of March.