Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro indicted on contempt of Congress charges

Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro has been indicted on contempt of Congress charges, according to court documents unsealed Friday.

Navarro, 72, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday for contempt after snubbing a subpoena from the House committee investigating Jan. 6 seeking testimony and documents.

Court documents indicate that the government requested that Navarro’s indictment be sealed until his “arrest operation is executed.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office told NBC News that Navarro “is in custody pending the court appearance” later Friday.

June 3, 202205:56

“The events leading to the charges in the Indictment have been the subject of public scrutiny and concern,” federal prosecutors wrote in the motion to keep the case sealed until Navarro’s arrest. Public disclosure of the indictment, they wrote, “would give the Defendant the opportunity to flee, tamper with witnesses or evidence, or take other steps to interfere with the criminal case.”

Navarro was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress, one for failing to provide papers, and another for failing to provide testimony.

The grand jury indictment says that Navarro is a “private citizen” and that he never appeared before the Select Committee or asked for an extension of time after he was subpoenaed.

“In fact, NAVARRO had not communicated with the Select Committee in any way after receiving the subpoena on February 9, 2022,” the indictment alleges, until Feb. 27, when he claimed his “hands are tied” because former President Donald Trump invoked executive privilege.

The House voted to refer Navarro to the Justice Department for contempt in April. The committee has said Navarro, a trade adviser during the Trump administration, played a key role “in the ex-president’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.”

Navarro said executive privilege prevented him from talking to the committee, and that he would only do so if Trump gave him the green light to do so. The Jan. 6 committee has noted that Navarro has publicly boasted about his plans to upend the election results and that he published a book last year in which he referred to the plan as the “Green Bay Sweep.” Navarro also said publicly that Trump was “on board with the strategy.”

Navarro filed suit against the House committee earlier this week, arguing the subpoenas should be dismissed. In the same filing, he said he’d been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury this week and turn over documents related to the Jan. 6 riot, including “any communications with formal President Trump and/or his counsel or representative.”

This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates.