Peter Navarro, born July 15, 1949, is an American economist, author, and former government official who served as the Assistant to the President and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy in the [[Donald Trump]] administration. Navarro is known for his strong views on trade, particularly with China, and has been a controversial figure due to his unconventional [economic theories](https://doctorparadox.net/category/economics/) and hardline policy recommendations. ## Academic and writing career Navarro began his academic career as a professor at the University of California, Irvine, where he taught economics and public policy. He has written numerous books and articles on various economic topics, including international trade, economic growth, and macroeconomic policy. Some of his notable books include "The Coming China Wars" (2006), "Death by China" (2011), and "Crouching Tiger: What China's Militarism Means for the World" (2015). Navarro's works often focus on the perceived threat posed by China's economic and military expansion and advocate for a more aggressive trade policy to counter this threat. ## Political career Navarro's political career began when he ran unsuccessfully for several local and national offices as a Democrat in the 1990s and early 2000s. Despite these setbacks, he continued to contribute to public policy discussions as an economist and author. In 2016, Navarro joined the Trump presidential campaign as an economic advisor. His views on trade, particularly with regard to China, aligned closely with then-candidate Trump's policy proposals. Upon Trump's election, Navarro was appointed as the head of the newly established National Trade Council, later renamed the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. During his tenure in the Trump administration, Navarro played a key role in shaping U.S. trade policy, advocating for a more protectionist approach. He was instrumental in the implementation of tariffs on steel, aluminum, and various Chinese goods, as well as the renegotiation of trade agreements like NAFTA. Navarro's policy recommendations have been controversial and often criticized by mainstream economists and trade experts, who argue that his approach is based on flawed economic theories and could harm global trade relations. ## Election denialism and the 2020 Big Lie After the [2020 election](https://doctorparadox.net/category/politics/2020-election/), Navarro was a prominent figure in promoting claims that the election was marred by widespread voter fraud and irregularities, claims that were widely disputed and lacked substantial evidence. He authored a report titled "The Immaculate Deception," which sought to compile allegations of election fraud across several key battleground states. Despite the widespread criticism and the rejection of these claims by numerous courts, Navarro continued to assert that the election had been stolen from President Trump -- part of the broad strategy of [election denialism](https://doctorparadox.net/dictionaries/disinformation-dictionary/election-denial/) employed by [the Republican Party](https://doctorparadox.net/the-gop-is-3-cults-in-a-trenchcoat/) to baselessly cast doubt on the legitimacy of Joe Biden's presidency, often referred to as "[The Big Lie](https://doctorparadox.net/gop-myths/gop-big-lies/)." ## Contempt of Congress conviction and prison sentence Navarro's legal troubles stem from his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the [[House of Representatives]] Select Committee investigating the [January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol](https://doctorparadox.net/january-6-attack/). The committee sought testimony and documents from Navarro regarding his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his interactions with President Trump leading up to the January 6th events. Navarro argued that his communications with President Trump were protected by executive privilege, a claim the Trump legal team and he maintained despite the committee's demands. Over the same time period, Navarro published a book essentially claiming credit for parts of the coup plot, along with [[Steve Bannon]]. He also went on prime time TV and [essentially confessed to MSNBC's Ari Melber](https://theweek.com/law-and-order/1008615/do-you-realize-you-are-describing-a-coup-msnbcs-ari-melber-grills-peter) that his "Green Bay Sweep" was designed to overturn the results of the election by abusing the Congressional power held by Republicans. In June 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to hold Peter Navarro in contempt of [[Congress]] for his refusal to comply with the subpoena. This action was taken because Navarro failed to provide the requested documents and testimony to the committee. The Department of Justice then decided to prosecute Navarro, leading to his arrest and charges of contempt of Congress. Navarro was [convicted in September 2023](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/07/peter-navarro-trump-aide-convicted-contempt-of-congress/70788293007/) and sentenced to a 4-month prison term. On March 18, 2024, [[The Supreme Court]] rejected Navarro's [plea to remain free](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/18/supreme-court-peter-navarro-trump-prison/72999868007/) on appeal -- and on Tuesday March 19 he [reported to federal prison](https://doctorparadox.net/peter-navarro-prison-sentence-begins/) in Miami to begin serving out his sentence. Inquiring minds want to know: how will having a former aide in prison for helping him try to overturn the 2020 election impact the [2024 election season](https://doctorparadox.net/category/politics/2024-election/) over the next 4 months?!