Judge rejects executive privilege claim made by ex-Trump adviser Peter Navarro

Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A district judge on Wednesday ruled that former Trump adviser Peter Navarro did not demonstrate that the former president had invoked executive privilege to justify his failure to testify before Congress.

Navarro faces charges of contempt of Congress for failing to appear to testify about the Jan. 6, 2021, riots that resulted in the breach of the Capitol.

During a pretrial hearing Monday, Navarro said it was "very clear" that Trump had invoked executive privilege during a February 2022 phone call shortly after Navarro had been called to testify.

Navarro presented a letter from Trump's lawyer, Evan Corcoran, into evidence to support his claim.

On Wednesday, District Judge Amit Mehta said "there was no formal invocation of executive privilege," and that there was no "consideration nor authorization to Mr. Navarro to invoke privilege on his behalf."

Mehta rejected Navarro's claims of executive privilege presented in "two key pieces" of evidence.

Mehta called Navarro's claims of executive privilege "pretty weak sauce."

A trial date was set for Sept. 5.