Ex-Trump aide gets key trade role despite recent prison stint
Trump picks his former advisor **Peter Navarro** for senior trade position‚ despite jail time for defying Jan 6 probe. New appointment reshapes trade team with familiar faces from previous administration
Donald Trump picked his long-time supporter Peter Navarro as senior trade counselor about 5 months after Navarros release from prison. The ex-White House advisor (who spent 4 months in jail for not cooperating with Jan 6 investigation) will manage trade and manufacturing tasks
I went to prison so you wont have to; The J6 committee demanded that I betray Donald John Trump to save my own skin‚ I refused
The new role matches Navarros previous 2017-21 job where he backed-up $370 billion Chinese import fees and metal tariffs. His tasks include: trade agenda communication; manufacturing plans support; tariff policy work
Howard Lutnick got Commerce secretary spot with trade oversight while Jamieson Greer — a well-known US-China trade conflict expert — leads USTR agency. Robert Lighthizer (who was thought to be Treasury pick) isnt joining the team this time
Some experts point to security clearance questions due to Navarros conviction; however the president has power to override such concerns or give pardon. During first term Navarro helped change deals with Mexico Canada and Korea — making him trusted choice for trade position
