MILWAUKEE — Fresh off serving a four-month prison sentence, former President Trump White House trade adviser Peter Navarro tried to stoke fears that Democrats are coming after “you” and “your kids.”
During a speech at the Republican National Convention that drew the loudest applause so far of the four-day rally, Navarro, 75, recounted recent incidents with police.
“This morning I got out of federal prison,” he began, drawing thunderous cheers from the audience. “Joe Biden and his Department of Justice put me there.
“If they can come after me, if they can come after Donald Trump, then be careful, they’ll come after you,” he warned, urging Republicans to take control of all three branches of government.
Navarro has voiced a string of frustrations with the justice system, blaming the “fraudulent January 6th Commission” for issuing the subpoena that led to his insubordination and subsequent conviction.
“They have no respect for the law and they ask me to break the law,” he said.
Federal prosecutors and courts say not. In 2022, the now-disbanded House Select Committee on January 6th issued a subpoena to him seeking documents and testimony related to its investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Navarro declined to respond, arguing that he was unable to cooperate with the committee due to executive privilege, which gives the president the right to withhold certain documents or information from Congress.
As a result, Congress voted to hold him in contempt, and the Department of Justice decided to prosecute him. He was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress on September 7, 2023, and subsequently sentenced on January 25.
Navarro, 75, reported to Miami Federal Prison in March after numerous failed attempts to avoid prison time.
In his speech, Navarro sought to paint a picture of ordinary Americans under siege by the government and the Democratic Party.
He denounced the prosecution against former President Donald Trump and Steve Bannon, at one point saying they “literally fired bullets at Donald Trump.”
“Don’t get me wrong, they are already coming after you,” he argued. “I’m in prison and this is hurting me. The Democrats are coming after your kids.”
Navarro cited the pervasiveness of gender ideology in classrooms across the country as evidence.
“I went to prison so you don’t have to go to prison. I’m your wake-up call,” he added.
Near the end of his speech, Navarro revealed that his fiancée, Bonnie, told him “we’re going to be OK” before he went to prison. She then came onstage wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and gave him a hug.
“This is my beautiful daughter. She served her sentence with me. These damn Democrats don’t get it. They do this to our family,” he said.
“Please don’t let your guard down,” he pleaded with the crowd before concluding his speech.
