Former Trump advisor Peter Navarro surrendered at a federal Bureau of Prisons facility in Miami today to serve a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Navarro, who held a press conference in a strip-mall parking lot before surrendering, painted himself as a victim of political persecution.
During the press conference, Navarro claimed to gather strength from his upcoming incarceration and referred to Trump as the “nominee.” He was convicted of contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena from a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Navarro has consistently claimed executive privilege on conversations he had with Trump, even though Trump is no longer the president. The Supreme Court recently rejected Navarro’s request for a reprieve, leading to his surrender just hours after the decision.
A federal appeals court had previously ruled that Navarro must appear before Congress and answer questions. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta told Navarro during his sentencing that he is not a victim of political prosecution and that he has received due process.
Journalists reported from both Miami and Washington on Navarro’s surrender and the events leading up to it. It remains to be seen how Navarro’s time in prison will affect his public image and political future.
