--- title: Gen. David Petraeus Says Won't Be Trump's Defense Secretary description: Petraeus said he “cannot envision returning to government at this time,” and that he was “not sure” his views align with President Trump's. canonical: https://time.com/5490764/david-petraeus-trump-defense-secretary/ author: Billy Perrigo article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-12-31T14:06:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:53:01.362Z article:section: Politics og:title: Retired Gen. David Petraeus Says He Wouldn't Serve in the Trump Administration og:description: He also voiced concern over Trump’s recent decision to pull troops out of Syria og:url: https://time.com/5490764/david-petraeus-trump-defense-secretary/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte4f80a08ba3007b5/6989426a7cdbac0becd5ec61/GettyImages-105473834.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: General Petraeus & Ambassador Sedwill Address RUSI Members og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Retired Gen. David Petraeus Says He Wouldn't Serve in the Trump Administration twitter:description: He also voiced concern over Trump’s recent decision to pull troops out of Syria twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte4f80a08ba3007b5/6989426a7cdbac0becd5ec61/GettyImages-105473834.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Retired Gen. David Petraeus Says He Wouldn't Serve in the Trump Administration > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=27667322-5b8d-4084-a2c3-c1e7b5dcd8ad&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: James Mattis Sends Last Christmas Message to U.S. Troops [Watch (HLS stream): James Mattis Sends Last Christmas Message to U.S. Troops](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/vh7kKm8a.m3u8) (0:23)  _Published 2018-12-26. Outgoing Secretary of Defense James Mattis has shared a Christmas message with American troops, telling them “it remains my great privilege to serve alongside you.”_  by [Billy Perrigo](https://time.com/author/billy-perrigo/)  ## Billy Perrigo Correspondent Dec 31, 2018 2:06 PM UTC  OCTOBER 15, 2010: David Petraeus, when he was Commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and US Forces in Afghanistan OCTOBER 15, 2010: David Petraeus, when he was Commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and US Forces in Afghanistan Dan Kitwood—Getty Images  by [Billy Perrigo](https://time.com/author/billy-perrigo/)  ## Billy Perrigo Correspondent Dec 31, 2018 2:06 PM UTC Retired Gen. David Petraeus, the former CIA director and commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, poured cold water on Monday on rumors he would come out of retirement to become President Trump’s new Secretary of Defense. Petraeus, a friend of [outgoing Defense secretary Jim Mattis](http://time.com/5486290/jim-mattis-retiring-trump-confirms/), told the the BBC he “cannot envision returning to government at this time,” and that he was “not sure” his views aligned with the President’s. He also voiced concern over Trump’s recent decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. “It’s not unreasonable to ask after 17 years of war, ‘is this the best way to go about it,’” Petraeus told [BBC Radio Four](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001t8y). “It doesn’t mean that I agree, necessarily, with the recent decisions, but to be truthful we don’t know the details of the policy yet.” Asked whether he would take Mattis’ job, he said: “I think there does have to be policy alignment \[with Trump,\] and I’m not sure that exists, I’m afraid.” That was a reference to Mattis, who in his resignation letter told Trump: “You have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours.” In 2016, reports suggested Petraeus was among Trump’s top picks for the post of Defense secretary. At the time, Petraeus indicated he would likely agree to take the job if asked. Petraeus was director of the CIA between 2011 and 2012\. He resigned after a scandal in which details of an [extramarital affair](http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/14/whos-who-in-the-general-petraeus-love-pentagon-scandal/) with his biographer were found by the FBI. In 2015, it emerged he had passed classified government information to her; for the crime, he was sentenced to two years probation and fined $100,000. ## Transcript Since Washington crossed the Delaware at Christmas in 1776. American troops have missed holidays at home to defend our experiment in democracy. To all you lads and lasses holding the line in 2018 on land, at sea or in the air, thanks for keeping the faith. Merry Christmas and may God hold you safe. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5490764/david-petraeus-trump-defense-secretary/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5490764/david-petraeus-trump-defense-secretary/"},"headline":"Retired Gen. 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