Trump Taps Navarro as Senior Trade Counselor

Facts

• Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced Peter Navarro, 75, will serve as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in the upcoming administration.^[1][2]
• The appointment comes less than five months after Navarro completed a four-month prison sentence for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol.^[3][4]
• Navarro — who holds a Harvard economics doctorate and previously taught at the University of California, Irvine — served as Trump's trade adviser during his first term, when he focused on protectionist policies and renegotiating trade deals.^[5][6]
• During Trump's first term, Navarro led the National Trade Council and Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, promoting policies encouraging consumers and companies to buy American and hire American. He also took a hardline stance on trade relations with China.^[7][8]
• This appointment comes as Trump is promising to tax all goods imported from Canada and Mexico and increase tariffs on goods from China. Navarro aggressively advocated for tariffs during the first Trump term.^[4][8]

Sources: ^[1]CNBC, ^[2]Truth Social, ^[3]CBS, ^[4]Associated Press, ^[5]New York Times, ^[6]RFD, ^[7]USA Today and ^[8]Axios.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by Washington Examiner and Daily Wire. Navarro's appointment represents a strong commitment to protecting American workers and manufacturing through aggressive trade policies — including tariffs and trade deal renegotiations. He'll also bring experienced leadership back to the White House trade agenda.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by Independent and Huffington Post. The selection of a convicted former official who refused to cooperate with a congressional investigation and promoted discredited election fraud claims raises serious concerns about the administration's commitment to the rule of law and democratic principles.