Former Trump Adviser Navarro Sentenced to Four Months for Contempt of Congress

By Andrew Goudsward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to President Donald Trump, received a four-month prison sentence on Thursday for contempt of Congress. During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta admonished Navarro for disregarding a subpoena in an investigation related to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, stating, “You are not a victim.”

Judge Mehta highlighted that Navarro’s refusal to comply with the congressional committee hindered their investigation. “They had a job to do and you made it harder,” the judge remarked.

In response, Navarro indicated his intention to appeal the ruling, asserting that the case raises critical questions about the ability of Congress to compel testimony from a senior White House aide acting on the president’s behalf. He also appealed for financial support to cover his legal expenses.

Navarro was convicted in September on two misdemeanor counts of contempt for ignoring a subpoena from the committee investigating efforts related to the January 6 assault by Trump supporters and the former president’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.

“You are not a victim. You’re not the object of a political prosecution. You have received every process you are due,” Judge Mehta told Navarro, criticizing him for previous claims suggesting that President Biden and other Democrats influenced his prosecution. “Joe Biden is not responsible for your prosecution,” he added, cautioning that such statements contribute negatively to the political climate.

Federal prosecutors had sought a six-month sentence, arguing that Navarro prioritized loyalty to Trump over legal obligations. Navarro’s defense team requested probation instead.

Facing a maximum penalty of two years, Navarro asked for any sentence to be delayed while he files an appeal, but the judge did not make an immediate decision on that request.

Navarro defended his decision not to cooperate with Congress by claiming he believed that Trump had invoked executive privilege, a legal doctrine that protects certain presidential communications. During the hearing, Judge Mehta countered this perspective, stating, “The words ‘executive privilege’ are not magical dust to avoid a duty that you have when Congress issues process.”

The judge acknowledged that while Navarro might have genuinely believed he was upholding executive privilege, it did not constitute a valid legal defense.

As an adviser during Trump’s presidency, Navarro was involved in trade discussions and was a member of a COVID-19 task force. He was also a prominent proponent of Trump’s unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which spurred supporters to clash with law enforcement and storm the Capitol.

The House committee had aimed to question Navarro about the “Green Bay Sweep,” a strategy he proposed to obstruct the certification of the election results.

Navarro’s conviction makes him the second notable Trump associate found guilty of contempt for rejecting cooperation with the House panel; Steve Bannon, another former Trump adviser, was sentenced to four months in prison in 2022 but remains out of custody while appealing his conviction.