Appeals court uphold contempt of Congress conviction for Peter Navarro

Navarro declined to comply with a subpoena to testify before the House Jan. 6 panel, leading the lower chamber to hold him in contempt.

By Ben Whedon

Published: July 21, 2026 2:21pm

A panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld Trump advisor Peter Navarro's contempt of Congress conviction.

Navarro declined to comply with a subpoena to testify before the House Jan. 6 panel, leading the lower chamber to hold him in contempt. He was later convicted and spent time in prison, securing his release just ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The three-judge panel affirmed the lower court's decision to uphold the conviction. Navarro has continued to challenge the conviction even after leaving prison.

gov.uscourts.cadc_.40540.01208871018.0.pdf

He later returned to the White House as an advisor in the second Trump administration on trade-related issues.

Navarro was not the only Trump ally to spend time in prison for contempt of Congress over the Jan. 6 panel's subpoenas. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon also received jail time for the same offense.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.