Former Trump Adviser Peter Navarro Released From Prison, Headed to RNC

Peter Navarro, former adviser to President Donald Trump, arrives for a press conference before turning himself in to a federal prison in Miami, Fla., on March 19, 2024. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Peter Navarro, who was part of former President Donald Trump’s administration, has been released from prison after serving a four-month sentence for a contempt of Congress conviction.

Mr. Navarro, 75, was released on July 17, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email.

Mr. Navarro is now headed to the Republican National Convention (RNC), according to his prison consultant, Sam Mangel. The RNC previously listed Mr. Navarro on its schedule of speakers for the event, which started on July 15 and is being held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

An inquiry to Mr. Navarro returned an automated message.

Mr. Navarro was an economic assistant to the president during the Trump administration. He continued to advocate for former President Trump after the administration ended.

The trade expert defied subpoenas from the U.S. House of Representatives special panel convened to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, resulting in prosecution from the federal government and conviction by a jury in Washington.

Mr. Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison. Attempts to stay the sentence as he appealed the conviction were shot down by courts, including U.S. Supreme Court justices, and he reported to the Miami federal prison on March 19.

“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 of executive privilege,” he said at the time.

Mr. Navarro said that former President Trump held executive privilege over records and testimony that the House panel sought. The judge overseeing his trial blocked Mr. Navarro from presenting that position to the jury.

His appeal is still ongoing.

Mr. Navarro “did great” during his time in prison, Mr. Mangel told The Epoch Times in an email. “He was very well prepared for his 4-month stay,” the prison consultant said.

Mr. Mangel also said that Mr. Navarro “is happy to be out and on his way to the RNC.”

Mr. Navarro’s automated message opens by saying, “Dear Friend, I'll be away on an extended journey fighting for the constitutional separation of powers.”

It adds: “In the meantime, do everything you can to help Donald Trump get elected in November. Our nation is in peril and at stake!”

Mr. Navarro was the first ex-White House official to be imprisoned for contempt of Congress.

Stephen Bannon, who served as a White House strategist during the Trump administration, was later also convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas from the House committee and surrendered to a federal prison in Connecticut on July 1.

Jacob Burg contributed to this report.