Peter Navarro, the former Trump administration official who served four months in prison earlier this year for defying a congressional subpoena in the January 6 investigation, is being considered for a role in President-Elect Donald Trump’s future administration. In an op-ed published by MSNBC on Thursday, writer and editor Zeeshan Aleem argues that Navarro could serve as a “relatively competent lieutenant” for Trump, particularly in his radical agenda on tariffs and China.
Aleem suggests that Navarro’s loyalty to Trump makes him a reliable figure who could help the president in his efforts to undermine democratic institutions. “He can also be trusted to help Trump undermine democratic institutions and sit in on top conversations with Trump that could potentially be legally incriminating — and not flip on his boss,” Aleem writes, highlighting Navarro’s dedication to the Trump cause.
However, Aleem also cautions that Navarro’s policy knowledge and more polished appearance shouldn’t mask his fundamentally dangerous nature. “Policy knowledge and more buttoned-up appearance shouldn’t obscure the reality that he is very much a stick of Trumpian dynamite,” Aleem emphasizes, alluding to Navarro’s controversial past and radical stance.
Navarro made headlines earlier this year when he became the first former White House official to be imprisoned for contempt of Congress, following his refusal to testify about his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Aleem notes, “In other words, even though Trump didn’t come to Navarro’s rescue, Navarro went to jail refusing to say anything that might strengthen the case against Trump.”
Reflecting on Navarro’s character, Aleem recalls his admission from 1998, where Navarro wrote, “I still have some principles. But not as many as you might think because I don’t have any concern at all about making stuff up about my opponent that isn’t exactly true.” This statement gives insight into Navarro’s willingness to bend the truth for political purposes, a trait that aligns with his role in Trump’s world.
Aleem concludes by noting Navarro’s tireless work ethic, even during his imprisonment: “Perhaps the best illustration of the kind of figure Navarro is in Trump World — industrious, wonky, obedient — is that even when he was in prison this year for refusing to comply with an inquiry into his involvement in efforts to overturn the election, he was still working on detailed policy proposals for a future Trump administration.” This underscores Navarro’s enduring loyalty to Trump and his dedication to the radical political agenda.