Peter Navarro: The Economist Behind Trump’s Controversial Tariffs

The word ‘tariffs’ that sent shockwaves through economists worldwide and Wall Street brings to the forefront one of Trump’s top economic advisors, Peter Navarro. Navarro, the chief architect of Trump’s tariff storm, stood by the president after being released from jail for ‘contempt of Congress.’ At 75 years old, Navarro is a key advisor to Donald Trump on trade issues. Once a supporter of the prevailing view that currency exchange rates are beneficial and trade deficits insignificant, he dramatically shifted his stance about 15 years ago due to concerns over China’s economic rise. Recently, Navarro and Elon Musk seem to be at odds over Musk’s push for ‘zero tariffs’ between the U.S. and Europe. On April 5, 2025, Musk, who leads the Government Efficiency Department in Trump’s administration, stated to Italy’s Lega party that he desires full trade freedom between the two regions. This came shortly after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly all countries, including the European Union, causing market turmoil and raising concerns among economists and financial institutions. In response to Tesla stock prices plummeting, Musk swiftly criticized Navarro. Navarro countered by questioning Tesla’s manufacturing practices, leading Musk to call him ‘truly a moron.’ Navarro was selected by Trump last December as the senior trade advisor, having previously served in Trump’s first administration. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University and faced legal trouble in January 2024 when sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress. Trump praised Navarro’s work promoting American products during his first term.