U.S. President Donald Trump has numerous trade-related executive orders that he drafted after taking office, with Peter Navarro, White House trade and manufacturing adviser, at the center. According to The New York Times (NYT) on the 20th (local time), Navarro has drafted more than 12 trade-related executive orders, many of which received Trump's signature.
NYT evaluated that the trade-related executive orders led by Navarro are attempts to reduce the U.S. dependency on imports and bring numerous manufacturing plants back to the U.S. Thanks to the executive orders he was involved with, U.S. tariffs have risen to their highest level in a century. Two administration officials noted that Navarro is likely the one who created the controversial formula for determining tariff rates based on the U.S. trade deficit.
Navarro, a staunch protectionist, also served as a trade adviser during Trump's first administration. However, he was ignored or mocked by other administration officials, and faced criticism that his protectionist views could pose a risk to the nation. However, as he entered Trump's second administration, Navarro gained strength and contributed to reinforcing Trump's thoughts on the unfair trade system in the U.S.
Navarro was somewhat distanced from mainstream society. Spending his childhood in Miami, he lived a financially strained life due to his parents' divorce. However, thanks to his growth as an honor student, he was able to attend Tufts University on a scholarship and obtained master's and doctoral degrees in economics from Harvard University. Afterward, Navarro taught business and economics in San Diego and served for over 20 years at the University of California, Irvine, until he entered the White House.
He became a protectionist, particularly against China, as he experienced a situation in the early 2000s where his students were consecutively laid off. Through several books, Navarro spread the negative impacts China has on world trade. He evaluated that China has dominated world trade through a series of predatory trading practices, including cheap labor, export subsidies, currency manipulation, and poor protection for workers.
Navarro connected with President Trump through the co-authored book "Death by China." Published in 2011, the book was also made into a documentary film. In the film, Navarro interrogated corporate lobbyists and discussed how outsourcing harmed American workers in collaboration with labor unions. The media criticized the film for exaggerating reality, but President Trump expressed support, saying it was "right on."
In 2011, President Trump mentioned 20 of his favorite books related to China, including Navarro's book, during an interview with a media outlet, and Navarro stated that this led to direct communication between the two. Subsequently, Navarro served as a trade adviser in Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, and his strong protectionist statements resonated with many within Trump's support base.
In his book "Taking Back Trump’s America," published in 2022, he stated that he was promised the position of Chairperson of the National Economic Council (NEC) after Trump's first electoral victory. However, that position went to Gary Cohn, the number two at the Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs. Navarro was appointed as the Chairperson of the newly established National Trade Council, but the organization received little support during Trump’s first administration.
Navarro, who gained power in Trump’s second administration, reflected his strong protectionist ideas in U.S. trade-related policies. While mainstream economists partially agree with Navarro's ideas, they assess that strong tariffs could negatively impact the U.S. economy by causing inflation and slowing growth. Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), remarked that Navarro might be "the worst trade adviser among modern U.S. presidents."