Appeals Court Upholds Navarro Contempt of Congress Conviction

A federal appeals court refused Wednesday to overturn Peter Navarro's contempt conviction, finding he failed to prove Donald Trump ever invoked executive privilege to shield his Jan. 6 committee testimony.

A federal appeals court upheld Peter Navarro's contempt of Congress conviction on Wednesday.
Navarro argued he could not comply with the Jan. 6 committee subpoena because Trump had claimed executive privilege.
The court found no evidence Trump formally asserted executive privilege over Navarro's testimony.
Navarro served a four-month federal prison sentence after his 2023 conviction on two contempt counts.
Wednesday's ruling leaves the conviction intact; Navarro's legal team may seek Supreme Court review.

A federal appeals court upheld Peter Navarro's contempt of Congress conviction Wednesday, rejecting his central claim that Donald Trump had invoked executive privilege to block his testimony before the House Jan. 6 select committee.

The court found Navarro produced no evidence Trump formally asserted the privilege, gutting the defense he had advanced since his 2023 indictment on two contempt counts.

Navarro, a former White House trade adviser, was convicted in September 2023 after defying a committee subpoena. He reported to a Miami federal prison in March 2024 and served four months before release.

The ruling was handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, according to reporting reviewed by the Wail.

Wednesday's decision leaves the conviction standing. Navarro's legal team has not yet indicated whether they will seek review by the Supreme Court, but a filing deadline would follow within weeks of the ruling date.