Peter Navarro Sentenced to Four Months in Prison for Defying Jan. 6 Subpoena

Peter Navarro, who served as an adviser to former President Donald Trump, was sentenced to four months in prison for defying a congressional subpoena.

For Context: During the House Select Committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Navarro was issued a subpoena to hand over documents and appear for a deposition. Navarro did neither, and in September 2023, he was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress. 

Details: In addition to the four-month sentence, Navarro was ordered to pay a fine of $9,500. Justice Department prosecutors requested a six-month sentence and a $200,000 fine. On Thursday, prosecutors argued Navarro showed “utter disregard” for the congressional investigation and “utter contempt for the rule of law.” Navarro argued he was “hamstrung” by a dispute regarding the scope of executive privilege, which he believed Trump had invoked. The judge concluded there is “no basis” for Navarro’s argument regarding executive privilege.

How the Media Covered It: The Hill (Center bias) labeled Navarro a “onetime adviser” to Trump, and detailed Navarro’s legal argument that he ignored the subpoena at the behest of Trump, whom he believed had invoked executive privilege. Fox News (Right bias), which labeled Navarro a “former adviser” to Trump, included additional remarks from Navarro made prior to the sentencing not seen in The Hill’s report, and it also included the website URL to donate to Navarro’s defense fund. The Daily Beast (Left bias) linked Navarro to Trump ideologically, labeling him a “MAGA loyalist.”