As Peter Navarro, a former Trump White House aide, serves his four-month prison sentence for obstructing Congress’ investigation into the January 6 insurrection, he can take comfort in knowing that his loyalty to Donald Trump has not gone unnoticed.
In fact, Trump has already signaled that he plans to reward Navarro with a pardon and a new job in his potential second administration, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move would be part of a broader effort by Trump to “take care” of his former aides who have faced criminal charges for their actions while working for him.
Navarro’s conviction and prison sentence stem from his decision to defy a subpoena from the House January 6 Committee, which was investigating his role in attempting to delay Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results.
Unlike many of his former colleagues, Navarro refused to comply with the subpoena or invoke his Fifth Amendment rights, leading to a criminal referral and indictment.
Trump has privately praised Navarro’s loyalty, referring to him as “my Peter” and expressing admiration for his willingness to risk prison to protect him.
According to sources, Trump has told advisers and friends that he plans to issue a pardon for Navarro once he is released from prison and has even floated the idea of giving him a new job in his potential second administration.
This move would be part of a broader effort by Trump to reward his loyal allies and undermine the investigations into his actions, which he has repeatedly referred to as a “witch hunt.”
Navarro’s case has become a cause célèbre among Trump’s supporters, who see him as a martyr for the former president’s cause. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., has even released a statement praising Navarro as a “good man” who was “wrongfully convicted” and expressing support for him and his family.
The plan to pardon Navarro and offer him a new job is part of a broader effort by Trump to “hit the delete key” on the investigations into his actions, as one source familiar with the matter put it.
Trump has already vowed to pardon scores of January 6 rioters and has expressed a desire to issue a wave of pardons for his high-profile allies who face criminal charges from the Biden Justice Department.