Obama says Gen. McChrystal showed ‘poor judgment’

President Barack Obama said he was waiting to speak with Gen. Stanley McChrystal before deciding whether to fire him for controversial remarks he made criticizing the administration.

Obama said McChrystal had shown “poor judgment” in criticizing Obama and the administration’s handling of the war in Afghanistan in an interview to be published later this week in Rolling Stone magazine.

McChrystal has submitted a letter of resignation to the president, according to multiple reports, though Obama made clear that he would not decide how to proceed until Wednesday.

“I think it’s clear that the article in which he and his team appear showed poor judgment,” Obama said in remarks following a Cabinet meeting Tuesday afternoon. “But I also want to make sure I talk to him directly before I make any final decisions.”

McChrystal’s fate has been the main topic of conversation in Washington. The general is returing fo the meeting with Obama after being recalled by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that all options are “on the table” in terms of McChrystal’s future, including his firing.

McChrystal will meet Wednesday with both Gates and Obama.

Obama sought to emphasize that his decision on the general’s fate was independent of his desire to see the U.S. follow through on its long-term strategy in Afghanistan.

“So whatever decision that I make with respect to General McChrystal or any other aspect of Afghan policy is determined entirely on how I can make sure that we have a strategy that justifies the enormous courage and sacrifice of those men and women over there,” he said.