A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Peter Navarro's life and career.
Peter Navarro is an American economist and author who served as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing under President Donald Trump. He held significant roles within the Trump administration, including Director of the White House National Trade Council and Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. Navarro is known for his protectionist trade views and advocacy for policies aimed at bolstering American manufacturing.
1992: Ran for Mayor of San Diego
In 1992, Peter Navarro ran for mayor of San Diego, losing in the runoff election. He also faced fines for violating election laws during his campaign.
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1993: Ran for San Diego City Council
In 1993, Peter Navarro unsuccessfully ran for San Diego city council.
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1994: Ran for San Diego County Board of Supervisors
In 1994, Peter Navarro unsuccessfully ran for San Diego County board of supervisors.
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1996: Ran for 49th Congressional District
In 1996, Peter Navarro ran for the 49th Congressional District as the Democratic Party nominee but lost.
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2001: Ran in Special Election for San Diego City Council
In 2001, Peter Navarro ran in a special election for the District 6 San Diego city council seat but lost.
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September 2017: Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Folded into National Economic Council
By September 2017, the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy had been folded into the National Economic Council, a demotion for Navarro.
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2018: Leslie Lebon files for divorce
In late 2018, Leslie Lebon filed for divorce from Navarro in Orange County.
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December 2019: Memo Written by Ron Vara Circulates
In December 2019, a memo purportedly written by Ron Vara began circulating in Washington, D.C. Navarro later confirmed that he had written the memo.
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December 2020: Navarro's Divorce Finalized
In December 2020, Navarro's divorce from Leslie Lebon became final.
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2020: Involvement in COVID-19 Response
In 2020, Peter Navarro was involved in the Trump administration's COVID-19 response, issuing early warnings but later downplaying risks and clashing with Anthony Fauci over treatment options.
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2020: Navarro criticizes outsourcing of critical materials due to COVID-19
In 2020, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Navarro criticized the outsourcing of critical materials like essential medical supplies to China.
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January 2021: Navarro Leaves Office, Refuses to Return Records
After Trump left office in January 2021, Navarro refused to return official records to the National Archives, demanding immunity before releasing the emails.
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January 20, 2021: China Imposes Sanctions Against Navarro
On January 20, 2021, the Chinese government imposed sanctions against Navarro and 27 other Trump administration officials.
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February 9, 2022: House Select Committee Subpoenas Navarro
On February 9, 2022, the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack subpoenaed Navarro for documents and testimony, which he refused, claiming executive privilege, a claim unsupported by evidence.
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February 2022: Navarro Claims Executive Privilege
In February 2022, Navarro claimed that Trump had privately asked him to invoke "executive privilege" over the documents sought by the congressional subpoena.
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February 2022: Subpoenaed by Congress
In February 2022, Peter Navarro was subpoenaed twice by Congress for seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
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April 6, 2022: House Votes to Hold Navarro in Contempt
On April 6, 2022, the House of Representatives voted to hold Navarro in contempt for refusing to testify before the House Select Committee, citing executive privilege claims.
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May 2022: Navarro Subpoenaed by Federal Grand Jury
In May 2022, Navarro was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, ordering him to surrender documents related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He unsuccessfully sought to block this subpoena.
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June 2, 2022: Indicted for Contempt of Congress
On June 2, 2022, Peter Navarro was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena.
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July 15, 2022: Judge Views Navarro's Arrest as "Unreasonably Harsh"
On July 15, 2022, U.S. district judge Amit Mehta signaled agreement that Navarro's treatment at the start of the criminal case was "unreasonably harsh," noting the government didn't offer self-surrender.
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August 2022: DOJ Sues Navarro for Official Emails
In August 2022, the Department of Justice sued Navarro to compel him to produce official business-related emails from a personal ProtonMail account.
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January 2023: Judge Denies Navarro's Effort to Dismiss Charges
In January 2023, Judge Mehta denied Navarro's effort to dismiss charges, stating Navarro failed to provide evidence of Trump asserting executive privilege.
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March 2023: Judge Orders Navarro to Turn Over Records
In March 2023, U.S. district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Navarro to promptly turn over records, citing his "plain" duty under the Presidential Records Act.
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April 2023: Navarro's Stay Request Denied
In April 2023, the D.C. Circuit unanimously denied Navarro's request for a stay of the district court's order to turn over records, citing public interest in presidential records.
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August 2023: Navarro Claims Trump Told Him Not to Testify
In August 2023, during a pretrial hearing, Navarro claimed Trump told him in a February 2022 call not to testify but provided no evidence. The judge ruled Navarro couldn't claim "executive privilege."
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September 5, 2023: Jury Seated in Navarro's Contempt Trial
On September 5, 2023, a jury was seated for Navarro's contempt of Congress trial. Three former congressional committee staffers testified, and Navarro declined to testify or call witnesses.
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September 7, 2023: Convicted on Contempt Charges
On September 7, 2023, Peter Navarro was convicted on both counts of contempt of Congress.
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January 16, 2024: Navarro's Request for New Trial Denied
On January 16, 2024, a federal judge denied Navarro's request for a new trial after his conviction on both counts of contempt of Congress.
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January 25, 2024: Sentenced to Jail
On January 25, 2024, Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in jail and fined for contempt of Congress.
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February 2024: Judge Considers Holding Navarro in Contempt
In February 2024, Judge Kollar-Kotelly said she would appoint a magistrate judge and consider holding Navarro in contempt to ensure compliance with turning over presidential records.
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March 19, 2024: Navarro Reports to Prison
Navarro reported to a minimum-security federal prison in Miami, Florida, by March 19, 2024, to begin his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.
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