Updated Jan 19, 2024 - Politics & Policy

DOJ seeks prison term for former Trump aide Peter Navarro

Rebecca Falconer

Peter Navarro, former White House trade adviser, arrives at federal court in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. — Peter Navarro, former White House trade adviser, outside federal court in Washington, D.C., last year. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro should be sentenced to six months in prison and fined $200,000 following his criminal conviction for contempt of Congress, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Driving the news: Defying a subpoena from the House Jan 6. committee "deserves severe punishment," DOJ prosecutors argued in a sentencing memo.

"The Defendant chose allegiance to former President Donald Trump over the rule of law," the DOJ wrote.

Context: Navarro was the second high-ranking former Trump official to be convicted in a case related to alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election after Steve Bannon, whose four-month prison sentence remains suspended pending the outcome of his appeal.

The other side: "Navarro's actions do not stem from a disrespect for the law, nor do they stem from any belief that he is above the law," his lawyers wrote in their memo ahead of his scheduled Jan. 25 sentencing.

"Rather, Dr. Navarro acted because he reasonably believed he was duty-bound to assert executive privilege on former President Trump's behalf."

Flashback: Former Trump aide Peter Navarro indicted for contempt of Congress

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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DOJ seeks prison term for former Trump aide Peter Navarro

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