WASHINGTON: The White House said Thursday that President Barack Obama would consider signing a short-term deal raising the debt ceiling, depending on the details of what Republican lawmakers propose.

“The president is happy that cooler heads at least seem to be prevailing in the House, that there at least seems to be a recognition that default is not an option,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

But Carney did not guarantee that Obama would sign the short-term debt limit deal offered by Republicans, saying the White House had seen no details of the plan.

“We will see what the House Republicans propose, we will see that they are able to pass and consider it then,” Carney said.

Obama has consistently called on Republicans to raise the current $16.7 trillion dollar debt ceiling ahead of an Oct. 17 deadline without ideological conditions.