Donald Trump Tells Peter Navarro to Defy House COVID-19 Probe
- A House COVID-19 committee issued a subpoena for former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro.
- Donald Trump urged Navarro to defy the subpoena and “protect executive privilege.”
- Trump has been attempting to stop several former aides from cooperating with congressional committees.
Former President Donald Trump told a former aide to defy a House committee subpoena as they probe his administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m telling Peter Navarro to protect executive privilege and not let these unhinged Democrats discredit our great accomplishments,” Trump said in a statement on Saturday.
—Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) November 20, 2021
“The Communist Democrats are engaging in yet another Witch Hunt, this time going after my Administration’s unprecedented and incredible coronavirus response, despite the fact that, sadly, more Americans have died this year from Covid than in all of 2020.”
On Thursday, the congressional committee issued a subpoena for former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who was an influential member of the White House team responding to the virus.
As the pandemic unfolded, Peter Navarro advised Trump on supply shortages and helped negotiate purchases of medical supplies and drugs, Politico reported.
He also promoted COVID-19 policies not backed by science, including pushing hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure, and often sparred with top health experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who he called “evil.”
Trump’s directive to Navarro is his latest attempt to stop his former aides from cooperating with congressional committees probes.
The former president has told several former aides and allies to ignore subpoenas from the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Following this advice has led his former advisor Steve Bannon to face criminal contempt charges.
Navarro’s subpoena is the second issued by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis this year. In September, they issued one to Steven Hatfill, a virologist and former adviser to Navarro.
The committee on Thursday ordered Navarro to turn over…
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