In a Washington federal court, former President Donald Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, faced a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress in connection to the investigation of the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta scolded Navarro for impeding the work of the Democratic-led House of Representatives committee by refusing to comply with a subpoena.
During the sentencing, Judge Mehta remarked, “They had a job to do, and you made it harder.” Navarro, aged 74, expressed his intention to appeal the decision, posing the question of whether a senior White House aide could be compelled to testify before Congress.
Outside the courthouse, amidst protest whistles, Navarro sought donations to cover his legal costs. He had previously been found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress for defying the committee’s subpoena, which investigated the Capitol attack and attempts by Trump to overturn the 2020 election results.
Judge Mehta sternly addressed Navarro, stating, “You are not a victim. You’ve received every process you are due.” The judge also rebuked Navarro for his statements implicating President Joe Biden and other Democrats in the prosecution, emphasizing that such rhetoric contributes to the corrosiveness of politics.
Federal prosecutors argued for a six-month sentence, accusing Navarro of prioritizing allegiance to Trump over the rule of law. In response, Navarro’s lawyers requested probation. The former Trump adviser faced a maximum two-year prison term but requested a hold on any sentence pending his appeal.
Navarro maintained that he believed he was exempt from cooperating with Congress due to Trump’s invocation of executive privilege, a claim Judge Mehta dismissed as not constituting a legal defense. The judge acknowledged that while Navarro believed he had a duty to invoke executive privilege, it did not excuse his conduct entirely.
Notably, Navarro, who advised Trump on trade matters and served on a COVID-19 task force, became a vocal supporter of the former president’s unfounded claims of election fraud. The House committee sought Navarro’s insight into his plan, known as the “Green Bay Sweep,” aimed at derailing the certification of the election results.
Navarro now joins the ranks of Trump advisers convicted of contempt of Congress, with Steve Bannon preceding him. Bannon received a four-month prison sentence in 2022, which he has avoided serving pending the appeal of his conviction.
