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The Wall Street
Journal has reported that Petraeus, who resigned as CIA chief in
2012 after an extra-marital affair was revealed, was under
consideration for the post of defense secretary.
Asked if he would agree to serve in the Trump administration,
Petraeus said: "I've been in a position before where a president
has turned to me in the Oval Office in a difficult moment and
.... said 'I'm asking you as your president and
commander-in-chief to take command of the International Security
Assistance Force in Afghanistan'.
"The only response can be 'yes, Mr President'."
Petraeus was a four-star general in the U.S. Army and oversaw
international forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was later
appointed as CIA director by President Barack Obama.
Asked during his BBC interview if he thought Trump had the right
temperament to be president, Petraeus said: "We're going to have
to see.
"I'm not someone who's had contact with him in the past. I don't
know how he operates. It's interesting that those who have been
talking to him have said he's a very personable, very
hospitable, very gracious guy, full of questions and dialogue.
"This is a guy who's done pretty well in life."
Pressed further on the pressures of the office of U.S. president
and whether he had confidence that Trump was capable of doing
the job, Petraeus said: "I think so, yes. It's up to Americans
not only to hope that that is the case, but if they can,
endeavor to help him."
(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and
William Schomberg)
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