Athira Sethu
Kochi, 20 August 2025
Peter Navarro, a former US President Donald Trump trade adviser, has recently condemned India for purchasing oil from Russia. In a Financial Times article, Navarro claimed the move by India was “opportunistic” and damaging to worldwide efforts to isolate Russia for invading Ukraine. He indicated India needed to alter its strategy if it wished to be regarded as a strategic partner by the US. Navarro blamed India for “getting closer” to both Russia and China, and contended that India’s purchases of Russian oil were fueling the war effort in Ukraine for Russia.
But Navarro did not state that China is the largest purchaser of Russian oil, and the US has not penalized China for it. By contrast, India has been chastised by the US, with Trump charging Indian products with huge tariffs, including a 25% penalty on purchases of oil from Russia.
Navarro has a checkered past. He is credited with his belligerent approach towards trade and his anti-China voice. Prior to his role as a central voice for Trump’s trade policy, Navarro was a professor of economics at the University of California, Irvine. He later gained popularity with his book Death by China, which claimed that China’s economic growth threatened the US. This book, and a documentary film made him one of the most outspoken critics of China in the US.
Navarro’s arguments gained momentum when Trump came to power in 2016. Upon reading Death by China by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Navarro was approached by the Trump campaign. He was the key architect of the “America First” trade policy and was the force behind initiating the US-China trade war. Navarro was also the driving force behind tariffs on Chinese products and restrictions on Chinese students in the US on national security grounds.
His tenure at the White House was characterized by internal battles, particularly with more moderate members such as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Navarro’s style frequently resulted in pungent and incendiary comments, including his statement regarding Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, labeling him as untrustworthy during a trade war.
Navarro’s stint in public service involved assisting Trump in shaping his trade policies, such as placing tariffs on steel and aluminum and suspending the duty-free status for certain Chinese imports. His policies were generally criticized, particularly when they began to damage American businesses.
Navarro has also been embroiled in some bizarre controversies, such as a scandal in which he invented a fake expert, “Ron Vara,” to back up his anti-China arguments in his books. This was followed by public reproach and questions about his credibility. He was also involved in a public spat with Elon Musk, labeling him a “moron” after Musk disparaged Navarro’s trade policies.
In spite of these controversies, Navarro is still a powerful voice in US politics. He has gone on to shape trade policy during Trump’s second term, representing the shift in American politics towards protectionism and economic confrontation, particularly with China.
