• President-Elect Donald Trump has appointed Peter Navarro, a trade hardliner, as his top advisor on trade.
• Navarro, known for his tough stance on trade issues, has previously served prison time for defying a Congress inquiry into the Capitol riots.
• Navarro's appointment follows his conviction for contempt of Congress and a four-month prison sentence.
• As Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, Navarro is expected to protect American workers and revitalize American manufacturing.

In a recent development that has sent ripples across the political landscape, US President-Elect Donald Trump has appointed Peter Navarro, a staunch loyalist and trade hardliner, as his top advisor on trade. Navarro, known for his unyielding stance on trade issues, has previously defied a Democratic Party-led Congress and served prison time rather than cooperate in its inquiry into the Capitol riots.

Trump, in his announcement on Truth Social, praised Navarro for his effectiveness and tenacity in enforcing his two sacred rules, Buy American, Hire American. As Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, Navarro is expected to work towards protecting American workers and revitalizing American manufacturing.

Navarro's appointment comes after a tumultuous period in his career. He was ordered by the House of Representatives Special Committee to appear in person and hand over documents related to the January 6 riots. His refusal to comply led to his conviction for contempt of Congress and a four-month prison sentence.

Navarro Joins Other Hardliners in Trump's Administration

Navarro's appointment is not the only significant development in Trump's administration. Jamieson Greer, another hardliner, was named US International Trade Representative (USITR) by Trump. Greer had previously assisted in imposing tariffs on China and other countries to combat unfair trade practices during Trump's first term.

Navarro, a hawk on China, has been vocal about Beijing's goal of world domination through predatory trade practices. His book, 'Death by China: Confronting the Dragon - A Global Call to Action', warns about this very issue. He advocates for high tariffs to rekindle US manufacturing, which has been beaten down by imports, mainly from China.

During the Covid pandemic, Navarro distinguished himself by warning about it and then helping the US overcome the global supply chain hurdles in facing it. He was one of the first senior officials to sound an alarm about the Covid pandemic, warning in a January 2021 memo that it would leave Americans defenceless in the case of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak on US soil and cost trillions of dollars.

Navarro's Role in Renegotiating Trade Deals

Trump also praised Navarro for his role in renegotiating unfair Trade Deals like NAFTA and the Korea-UD Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), and moving every one of his Tariff and Trade actions FAST. Trump had previously trashed the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada and replaced it with a new treaty that he considered more favourable to the US.

Navarro, who holds an economics PhD from Harvard and has been a professor at a California university, is known for his articulate nature. Trump, noting his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills, said that his mission will be to help successfully advance and communicate the Trump Manufacturing, Tariff, and Trade Agendas.

In a similar vein, Trump has filled key posts for his second term in office, prioritizing loyalty to him after he felt bruised and hampered by internal squabbling during his first term. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation fights in the Senate, even with Republicans in control, and two candidates have already withdrawn from consideration.