Donald Trump’s picks for his White House staff and Cabinet have already given us more reasons than ever to question his judgment. But any doubt that he was a poor judge of talent should have been erased when it emerged that retired general David Petraeus is on the short list to become Secretary of State. It turns out that even if Trump offered Petraeus the post, he probably wouldn’t be able to accept it. Thanks to the terms of his probation for improperly sharing classified information, he would have to clear a number of hurdles to take up the secretaryship and perform some of its most basic functions for the first few months of his tenure.
Petraeus pleaded guilty in March 2015 to sharing classified information to his biographer, Paula Broadwell; the two were having an affair at the time. A month later, he was sentenced to two years’ probation, which is slated to end in the spring of 2017. Read the final judgment here.
USA Today’s Brad Heath noticed a number of items in the probation terms that could make it extremely difficult for Petraeus to even join Trump’s Cabinet, or effectively do his job if he did so. For one thing, he would need permission from his probation officer or the judge to leave the Western District of North Carolina, where he was sentenced.
Gen. Petraeus, one of the people on Trump's list for Secretary of State, has to check with his probation officer before leaving western N.C. pic.twitter.com/ay64N3JYIQ
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) November 30, 2016
If Gen. Petraeus becomes Secretary of State, he will have to notify his probation officer within 72 hours. pic.twitter.com/veKxD35vPV
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) November 30, 2016
The terms of probation do allow Petraeus to travel outside the Western District of North Carolina, including “international travel and travel within the continental United States.” However, such trips would have to be approved by his probation officer.
Additionally, Petraeus is subject to warrantless searches of his home and office computers and smartphones for the duration of his probation–a condition that would remain in place even if he became Secretary of State.
If Gen. Petreaus becomes Secretary of State, his computers and office will be subject to warrantless searches by his probation officer. pic.twitter.com/MH4srR3W6I
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) November 30, 2016
However, according to New York magazine, if Petraeus became Secretary of State, his probation officer would likely have to have a security clearance to perform those searches.
It is simply inconceivable that Trump wasn’t aware of Petraeus’ probation terms when they met at Trump Tower. Does he really want someone in his Cabinet who would need permission to even travel to Washington to take up his post? Does he really want to name a Secretary of State who would need permission to travel abroad for the first three or four months of his tenure?
And that’s before we even discuss the 500-pound gorilla in the room–the fact that Petraeus was convicted of the very thing for which the GOP spent a year kneecapping Hillary Clinton. Far worse, in fact. Indeed, Petraeus admitted knowingly giving the information to Broadwell. In contrast, there is no evidence that Hillary knowingly leaked classified information–the very reason for which the FBI concluded that there was no way any prosecution of Hillary would go anywhere.
But then again, Trump has already shown that he is willing to play fast and loose with national security. After all, his chief strategist, Steve Bannon, probably wouldn’t even qualify for a security clearance under normal circumstances due to his sordid past. His national security adviser, Michael Flynn, admits that he openly flouted security rules during his military career. Most seriously, he installed a secret Internet connection in his Pentagon office.
So Trump spent a year savaging Hillary for her email server, then seriously considers naming a Secretary of State who was actually forced to admit to deliberately leaking classified information. And that same person would effectively need permission to perform the most basic duties of his job. So much for Trump putting “the best people” in his Cabinet.
