Former Trump White House senior official Peter Navarro reported to a federal prison in Miami Tuesday after being sentenced to four months behind bars for contempt of Congress.
Navarro was convicted in September 2023 of defying a Congressional subpoena for documents related to the House investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol, and for refusing to appear for a deposition. His effort to appeal the case and avoid prison time was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Prosecutors accused Navarro of acting "above the law" by refusing to comply with the House investigation. Meanwhile, an attorney for Navarro argued that he wasn't deliberately refusing to cooperate, but had asked lawmakers to ask Trump what materials may be protected under executive privilege, something investigators did not do.
Speaking in front of a group of reporters Tuesday morning before turning himself into authorities, Navarro maintained his argument about executive privilege and defiantly spoke out against the "partisan weaponization" of the U.S. justice system.
"When I walk in that prison today, the justice system, such as it is, will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and executive privilege," he said.
Navarro is the second former Trump aide to be charged with contempt of Congress. Steve Bannon has also been convicted on the same charges and sentenced to four months in prison, but has remained free pending an appeal.
Navarro has continued to be a staunch supporter of Trump, backing his reelection efforts. The former senior trade adviser even wrote a book about how Trump can return to power.
