WASHINGTON — Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal left the White House after meeting with President Obama for about 20 minutes, departing ahead of a meeting on the war in Afghanistan scheduled for later Wednesday morning, but there was no immediate word on whether he would keep his job as the top American commander there.

General McChrystal has come under harsh criticism for contemptuous remarks he and his staff members made about top administration officials in a magazine article that became public a day earlier.

He and Mr. Obama began their one-on-one discussion just before 10 a.m., after the general had met with his bosses at the Pentagon. General McChrystal had prepared a letter of resignation, but the White House has not said whether it was accepted.