Peter Kent Navarro (born July 15, 1949) is an American economist who currently serves as the Assistant to the President, and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.
Originally serving as a Deputy Assistant to the President, and Director of the White House National Trade Council, a newly created entity in the executive branch of the U.S.
federal government, until it was folded into the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, a new role established by executive order on April 29, 2017.
A professor emeritus of economics and public policy at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine, Navarro is the author or co-author of over a dozen books, including Death by China.
He has published peer-reviewed economics research on energy policy, charity, deregulation and the economics of trash collection.Navarro's views on trade are significantly outside the mainstream of economic thought, and are widely considered fringe and misguided by other economists.
A strong proponent of reducing U.S.
trade deficits, Navarro is well known as a critic of Germany and China and has accused both nations of currency manipulation.
He has called for increasing the size of the American manufacturing sector, setting high tariffs, and "repatriating global supply chains".
He is also a strong opponent of the North American Free Trade Agreement and Trans-Pacific Partnership.
With U.S.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Navarro developed an infrastructure development plan for the candidacy and presidency of Donald Trump.