Edward Snowden, the former contractor for the National Security Agency who leaked tens of thousands of documents revealing that the American government has spied on its own citizens, told Katie Couric on Yahoo News on Monday that retired Gen. David Petraeus, Donald Trump's potential pick for secretary of state, disclosed far more classified information despite receiving a much lighter punishment.

"We have a two-tiered system of justice in the United States," Snowden said to Couric, "where people who are either well-connected to government or they have access to an incredible amount of resources get very light punishments."

Snowden went on to juxtapose how he was treated by the federal government with the punishments received by Petraeus, who shared classified information with his mistress and biographer, Paula Broadwell.

"Perhaps the best-known case in recent history here is Gen. Petraeus — who shared information that was far more highly classified than I ever did with journalists," Snowden said.