History of Peter Navarro in Timeline
Peter Navarro is an American economist who served as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing to President Donald Trump since January 2025. Previously, during Trump's first administration, he directed the White House National Trade Council and the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. He is known for his protectionist views on trade and his advocacy for policies aimed at strengthening American manufacturing.
July 15, 1949: Peter Navarro's birth
On July 15, 1949, Peter Kent Navarro was born. He is an American economist.
1972: Graduation from Tufts University
In 1972, Peter Navarro graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, having attended on an academic scholarship.
1973: Joined the U.S. Peace Corps
In 1973, Peter Navarro joined the U.S. Peace Corps and served in Thailand for three years.
1976: End of Peace Corps service
In 1976, Peter Navarro concluded his three years of service in the U.S. Peace Corps, where he was stationed in Thailand.
1979: Received MPA from Harvard
In 1979, Peter Navarro received a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
1981: Research associate at Harvard's Energy and Environmental Policy Center
From 1981, Peter Navarro worked as a research associate at Harvard's Energy and Environmental Policy Center.
1984: Publication of "The Policy Game"
In 1984, Navarro voiced support for free trade in his book The Policy Game, reflecting his earlier views as a mainstream economist.
1984: Wrote "The Policy Game: How Special Interests and Ideologues are Stealing America"
In 1984, Peter Navarro wrote the book "The Policy Game: How Special Interests and Ideologues are Stealing America," where he criticized special interest groups.
1985: Teaching at UC San Diego and University of San Diego
From 1985, Peter Navarro taught at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of San Diego.
1986: Received PhD in economics from Harvard
In 1986, Peter Navarro earned a PhD in economics from Harvard University under the supervision of Richard E. Caves. His doctoral dissertation was titled "A theoretical and empirical investigation of corporate charity motives".
1986: Move to California and Registration as Nonpartisan
In 1986, Peter Navarro moved to California and initially registered as nonpartisan.
1988: End of teaching at UC San Diego and University of San Diego
In 1988, Peter Navarro stopped teaching at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of San Diego.
1989: Joined UC Irvine faculty
In 1989, Peter Navarro moved to the University of California, Irvine, as a professor of economics and public policy.
1989: Registration as Republican
In 1989, Peter Navarro registered as a Republican.
1991: Re-registration as Independent
In 1991, Peter Navarro re-registered as an Independent.
1992: Independent Affiliation During Mayoral Election
In 1992, Peter Navarro maintained his affiliation as an Independent during the San Diego mayoral election.
1992: Ran for mayor of San Diego
In 1992, Peter Navarro ran for mayor of San Diego, finishing first in the primary but losing in the runoff to Susan Golding. He also paid fines for violating election laws.
1993: Ran for San Diego city council
In 1993, Peter Navarro ran unsuccessfully for San Diego city council.
1994: Ran for San Diego County board of supervisors
In 1994, Peter Navarro ran for San Diego County board of supervisors, but lost.
1994: Rejoining the Democratic Party
In 1994, Peter Navarro rejoined the Democratic Party.
1996: Ran for 49th Congressional District
In 1996, Peter Navarro ran for the 49th Congressional District as the Democratic Party nominee, but lost to Brian Bilbray.
1996: Endorsement by Hillary Clinton
In 1996, while running for Congress, Peter Navarro was endorsed by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton and spoke at the 1996 Democratic National Convention.
2001: Started writing investing books
In 2001, Peter Navarro began writing investing books, including "If It’s Raining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks: The Investor’s Guide to Profiting from News and Other Market-Moving Events."
2001: Marriage to Leslie Lebon
In 2001, Peter Navarro married Leslie Lebon, a California architect.
2001: Ran in special election for San Diego city council seat
In 2001, Peter Navarro ran in a special election to fill the District 6 San Diego city council seat but lost.
2006: Publication of "The Coming China Wars"
In 2006, Peter Navarro wrote "The Coming China Wars", a book where he examined China's challenges and conflicts in the global market.
2008: Support for Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 2008, Peter Navarro supported Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
2011: Published "Death by China"
In 2011, Peter Navarro and Greg Autry published "Death by China," arguing that China violates fair trade practices.
2011: First contact with Donald Trump
In 2011, Peter Navarro had his first contact with Donald Trump after a blog post in the Los Angeles Times.
2012: Directed and produced "Death by China" documentary
In 2012, Peter Navarro directed and produced "Death by China", a documentary film based on his book, narrated by Martin Sheen.
2012: Release of Documentary on China
In his 2012 documentary, Peter Navarro claimed that China caused the loss of 57,000 US factories and 25 million jobs.
April 2015: Op-ed on the Trans-Pacific Partnership
In an April 2015 op-ed, Peter Navarro claimed that the American economy would suffer severely from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
2015: Criticism of China's Currency Manipulation
Before 2015, some of Peter Navarro's views on China fit within the mainstream, such as criticism of Chinese currency manipulation.
September 2016: Authored economic plan for Trump campaign
In September 2016, Peter Navarro and Wilbur Ross authored an economic plan for the Donald Trump presidential campaign.
October 2016: Co-authored "Donald Trump's Contract with the American Voter"
In October 2016, Peter Navarro, along with Wilbur Ross and Andrew Puzder, co-authored an essay titled "Donald Trump's Contract with the American Voter".
November 2016: Response to economists warning against Trump's policies
In November 2016, Peter Navarro responded to 370 economists warning against Donald Trump's stated economic policies, dismissing their concerns.
December 21, 2016: Selected as director of White House National Trade Council
On December 21, 2016, Peter Navarro was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to a newly created position as director of the White House National Trade Council.
2016: Description as a "Reagan Democrat and a Trump Democrat"
During the 2016 presidential election, Peter Navarro described himself as "a Reagan Democrat and a Trump Democrat abandoned by my party."
2016: Served as economic policy advisor to Trump's campaign
In 2016, Peter Navarro served as an economic policy advisor to Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
January 2017: Joined Trump administration as trade advisor
In January 2017, Peter Navarro joined the first Trump administration as an advisor on trade.
March 2017: Statement on TPP's Impact on the Auto Industry
In March 2017, Peter Navarro stated that TPP "would have been a 'death knell' to America's auto and vehicle parts industry.
February 2018: Re-registration as a Republican
In February 2018, Peter Navarro re-registered as a Republican.
2018: Divorce Filing
In late 2018, Leslie Lebon filed for divorce from Peter Navarro in Orange County.
May 2019: Navarro praises Trump's tariffs on Mexico
In May 2019, Peter Navarro stated that President Trump's decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, conditional on Mexico curbing illegal immigration to the United States, was "a brilliant move".
August 5, 2019: U.S. Treasury Department Designates China as Currency Manipulator
On August 5, 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department officially designated China as a "currency manipulator", a position long advocated by Peter Navarro.
September 2019: Navarro leads diplomatic effort on international mail rates
In September 2019, Peter Navarro successfully led a diplomatic effort to the Third Extraordinary Congress of the Universal Postal Union, after being tasked by Trump with addressing China's use of international mail rates for cheaper shipping. This resulted in an agreement where member countries could self-declare their rates starting in July 2020.
October 2019: Navarro defends trade war with China
In October 2019, Peter Navarro defended the trade war with China, stating that the United States was confronting a strategic rival. He advocated for trade restrictionist policies and worked with the DHS to combat counterfeited and pirated e-commerce goods.
January 29, 2020: Navarro issues memo warning of pandemic
On January 29, 2020, Peter Navarro issued a memo warning that the novel coronavirus could evolve into a full-blown pandemic and argued for travel restrictions from China.
January 31, 2020: Trump signs executive order combatting counterfeited goods
On January 31, 2020, Trump signed an executive order regarding counterfeited and pirated e-commerce goods from overseas, which was promoted by Peter Navarro.
February 2020: Hatfill becomes Navarro's advisor; promotes hydroxychloroquine
In February 2020, biologist Steven Hatfill became Peter Navarro's advisor regarding the coronavirus pandemic and promoted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, which Navarro later touted despite its unproven effectiveness.
February 23, 2020: Navarro memo predicts high COVID-19 death toll
On February 23, 2020, Peter Navarro wrote another memo estimating that COVID-19 could infect up to 100 million Americans, resulting in 1-2 million deaths. He also called for a supplemental appropriation of at least $3 billion.
March 27, 2020: Navarro appointed to coordinate Defense Production Act policy response
On March 27, 2020, Peter Navarro was appointed by Trump to coordinate the federal government's Defense Production Act policy response during the coronavirus pandemic, promoting domestic production of coronavirus-related supplies and advocating for reduced reliance on foreign supply chains.
May 2020: Navarro criticizes stay-at-home orders; blames China for virus
In May 2020, Peter Navarro criticized stay-at-home orders, arguing they would cause more deaths than the coronavirus. He frequently referred to the virus as the "China virus" or the "CCP virus" and accused the Chinese government of intentionally spreading the virus.
July 2020: Navarro touts study on hydroxychloroquine
In July 2020, Peter Navarro promoted a widely criticized study claiming hydroxychloroquine was an effective treatment for coronavirus, despite public health experts pointing out limitations and the failure of multiple randomized controlled trials to confirm its effectiveness.
July 2020: USA Today publishes Navarro's op-ed criticizing Fauci
In July 2020, USA Today published an editorial by Peter Navarro criticizing Anthony Fauci, which was later disavowed by White House officials. The newspaper also issued an apologetic statement noting that Navarro's criticisms were misleading or lacked context.
August 2020: Mnuchin and Navarro argue over TikTok's fate
In August 2020, Steven Mnuchin and Peter Navarro engaged in a shouting match in the Oval Office about the future of TikTok. Mnuchin favored selling TikTok to a U.S. company, while Navarro advocated for an outright ban of the app.
August 2020: Contract for ventilators negotiated by Navarro terminated
In August 2020, a contract to purchase 42,900 ventilators negotiated by Peter Navarro was terminated due to concerns of overpayment and subject to internal investigation.
October 2020: Preparing Allegations of Election Fraud
In October 2020, two weeks before the presidential elections, Peter Navarro's office in the White House started preparing allegations of election fraud, despite Joe Biden's decisive win.
December 2020: Publishing a Report Alleging Widespread Election Fraud
In December 2020, Peter Navarro published a report alleging widespread election fraud, repeating discredited conspiracy theories and citing biased sources like One America News Network, Newsmax, Steve Bannon's podcast War Room: Pandemic, John Solomon's Just the News, and Raheem Kassam's The National Pulse.
December 2020: Divorce Finalization
In December 2020, Peter Navarro's divorce from Leslie Lebon became final.
2020: Involvement in COVID-19 response and appointment as national Defense Production Act policy coordinator
During 2020, Peter Navarro was involved in the Trump administration's COVID-19 response. Also in 2020, he was named the national Defense Production Act policy coordinator.
2020: Sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election
In 2020, Peter Navarro sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election, leading to legal challenges.
2020: Criticism of Outsourcing Critical Materials
In 2020, in light of the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, Peter Navarro criticized the outsourcing of critical materials — like the production of essential medical supplies — to China.
January 2, 2021: Participating in a call to overturn election results
On January 2, 2021, Peter Navarro, along with Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows, participated in a call with Georgia election officials where Trump urged them to overturn the results of the election. Navarro also falsely asserted on Jeanine Pirro's Fox News program that Joe Biden's inauguration could be postponed.
January 6, 2021: Coordinating "The Green Bay Sweep" and responding to Capitol storming
On January 6, 2021, Peter Navarro and Bannon coordinated "The Green Bay Sweep" with Republican state legislators. After the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Navarro appeared on Fox Business Network's Making Money on January 8, blaming others and reiterating false claims about the election.
January 2021: Refuses to Return Records to National Archives
After Trump left office in January 2021, Peter Navarro refused requests from the National Archives to return official business-related emails from a personal ProtonMail account, demanding immunity before releasing the emails.
January 20, 2021: China imposes sanctions on Navarro
On January 20, 2021, the Chinese government imposed sanctions against Peter Navarro, along with 27 other Trump administration officials, for interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining China-U.S. relations.
December 2021: Continuing to Claim Falsehoods About Election Fraud
In December 2021, Peter Navarro was still claiming that his falsehoods were meant to lay the legal predicate for actions to be taken, despite no evidence of voting fraud being found.
February 9, 2022: Subpoenaed by House Select Committee
On February 9, 2022, the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack subpoenaed Peter Navarro to provide documents and testimony. He refused to comply, claiming executive privilege, despite lacking supporting evidence.
February 2022: Navarro claims Trump told him not to testify
In February 2022, Peter Navarro claimed Trump had told him in a phone call not to testify to the House committee but failed to produce any evidence of what Trump actually said in the conversation.
February 2022: Subpoenaed by Congress
In February 2022, Peter Navarro was subpoenaed twice by Congress regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
April 6, 2022: House of Representatives Votes to Hold Navarro in Contempt
On April 6, 2022, the House of Representatives voted to hold Peter Navarro in contempt for refusing to testify before the House Select Committee.
May 2022: Subpoenaed by Federal Grand Jury
In May 2022, Peter Navarro announced that he had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury and ordered to surrender documents related to the January 6, 2021, attack. He unsuccessfully sought to block the subpoenas.
June 2, 2022: Indicted on Contempt of Congress Charges
On June 2, 2022, Peter Navarro was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena to produce documents and testimony. He was arrested at Reagan National Airport.
July 15, 2022: Judge Signals Treatment Was "Unreasonably Harsh"
On July 15, 2022, U.S. district judge Amit Mehta signaled that he agreed that the treatment of Peter Navarro at the outset of the criminal case was "unreasonably harsh," noting that the government did not offer self-surrender to Navarro.
August 2022: DOJ Sues Navarro to Produce Emails
In August 2022, the Department of Justice sued Peter Navarro in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking to compel him to produce official business-related emails from a personal ProtonMail account that he used to conduct White House business.
January 2023: Judge Denies Dismissal of Charges
In January 2023, Judge Mehta denied Peter Navarro's effort to dismiss the charges against him for contempt of Congress, citing a lack of evidence to support his claim of executive privilege.
March 2023: Ordered to Turn Over Records
In March 2023, U.S. district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Peter Navarro to promptly turn over the records to NARA, ruling that Navarro had a "plain" duty to turn over the records.
April 2023: Publication of "The Case for Fair Trade"
In April 2023, Peter Navarro's section of Project 2025, titled "The Case for Fair Trade", was published. It contained Navarro's policy ideas regarding trade and tariffs.
April 2023: Request for Stay Denied
In April 2023, the D.C. Circuit unanimously denied Peter Navarro's request for a stay of the district court's order to turn over presidential records.
August 2023: Navarro claims Trump told him not to testify
In August 2023, in a pretrial hearing, Peter Navarro claimed that Trump had told him in a February 2022 phone call not to testify to the House committee but failed to produce any evidence of what Trump actually said in the conversation. Following the ruling against him, Navarro tried to grab a "Trump lost" sign from a demonstrator at a press conference.
September 5, 2023: Jury Seated in Contempt Trial
On September 5, 2023, a jury was seated for Peter Navarro's contempt trial. He declined to testify or offer witnesses for the defense and told reporters he expected to face legal bills of $750,000.
September 7, 2023: Convicted on Both Counts of Contempt of Congress
On September 7, 2023, Peter Navarro was convicted on both counts of contempt of Congress.
2023: Co-authorship of "The Case for Fair Trade"
In 2023, Navarro co-authored the chapter on trade for the ninth edition of the Heritage Foundation's book Mandate for Leadership, which provides the policy agenda for Project 2025. The chapter, called "The case for fair trade" argues for tariffs and trade restrictions.
2023: Convicted on contempt of Congress charges
In 2023, Peter Navarro was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena.
January 16, 2024: Request for New Trial Denied
On January 16, 2024, a federal judge denied Peter Navarro's request for a new trial after his conviction on both counts of contempt of Congress.
January 25, 2024: Sentenced to Four Months in Jail
On January 25, 2024, Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in jail and fined $9,500 for contempt of Congress, becoming the first former White House official imprisoned on such a conviction.
February 2024: Contempt of Court Considered
In February 2024, Kollar-Kotelly said she would appoint a magistrate judge and consider holding Peter Navarro in contempt to ensure his compliance with turning over presidential records.
July 2024: Engagement Announcement
At the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Peter Navarro announced his engagement to a woman named Bonnie.
July 17, 2024: Released from Prison and Endorses Trump
On July 17, 2024, Peter Navarro was released from prison and gave a prime time speech endorsing Trump for a second term at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
December 4, 2024: Appointed Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing
On December 4, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that Peter Navarro would be the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in his second term.
2024: Sentenced to jail for contempt of Congress
In 2024, Peter Navarro was sentenced to four months in jail for contempt of Congress, becoming the first former White House official imprisoned on such a conviction.
2024: Remarks at the Republican National Convention
In the 2024 Republican National Convention, Peter Navarro stated "Democrats come for your kids. They are indoctrinating them with poisonous attitudes on race and gender."
January 2025: Appointment as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing
In January 2025, Peter Navarro became the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing to U.S. President Donald Trump.
January 2025: Appointed as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in Trump's second term
In January 2025, Peter Navarro was appointed as the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing for President Trump in his second term.
January 20, 2025: Assumes Office as Senior Counselor
On January 20, 2025, Peter Navarro assumed office as the senior counselor for trade and manufacturing.
February 2025: Key Official in Trade Discussions
In February 2025, Peter Navarro and Stephen Miller were the leading officials in the economic discussions regarding the imposition of tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. Navarro was also a key official behind several trade policy decisions made by the Trump administration.
April 5, 2025: Elon Musk Criticizes Navarro
On April 5, 2025, Elon Musk criticized Peter Navarro's educational qualifications on X and questioned if he "built shit" in response to the new trade tariffs. Navarro responded by saying Musk is not a "car manufacturer" but a "car assembler".
2025: Prosecutors Demoted
In 2025, interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin demoted Elizabeth Aloi and John Crabb Jr., who worked as prosecutors in Peter Navarro's case, to low-level positions.
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