U.S. President Barack Obama's chief spokesman left open the possibility Tuesday that the administration would facilitate a bankruptcy filing by General Motors Corp. (GM) and Chrysler LLC.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked by reporters whether the president would consider a government-backed bankruptcy filing by one of the auto makers.

"I wouldn't close the door" on the option, Gibbs said.

He added that the administration is considering numerous options for restructuring the beleaguered auto industry, but will wait until it receives restructuring plans from GM and Chrysler before deciding how to proceed.

Those plans are due Tuesday.

"Obviously there are different paths that can be chosen and we're anxious to see what type of restructuring details each of the automakers themselves have put together in conjunction with their bond holders, their employees," Gibbs said.

The plans are supposed to describe how GM and Chrysler are using a combined $17.4 billion in government loans to restructure to ensure their long-term viability.

-By Josh Mitchell, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6637; joshua.mitchell@dowjones.com