US President Donald Trump promised to implement a global tariff plan while contesting. Which was completed by Trump and the tariff plan announced by him was implemented from April 2, 2025. This tariff plan, known as ‘receiprocal tariff’ or ‘mutual tariff’, is designed to impose backlash tariffs on US exports.
Trump repeatedly emphasized during his election campaign and after taking over power that he would use tariffs to strengthen the US economy and protect the local industries. But did you know who is behind this tariff plan? The brain behind this is Peter Navaro, a leading US economist. Navaro is the main person in formulating trade policy during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Trump’s senior adviser
Peter Navaro serves as a senior adviser on trade and production in Trump’s second administration. Navaro accepted the role on January 20, 2025, Trump elected president on December 4, 2024. Navaro is referred to as the intellectual force behind Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy. The Nawaro is also called the ‘main brain’ behind the President’s defensive trade agenda. Their influence was to boost American production, reduce trade deficit, and to shut down unfair trade practices by other countries, especially China.
Has done a PhD in economics
Navaro was born on July 15, 1949 at Massachusetts. He earned a PhD degree in economics from Harvard University. Before entering politics, he was a professor of economics and public policy in the University of California, Irvine. During his academic career, Navar wrote books such as ‘The Cumming China Wars’ (2006) and ‘Death by China’ (2011). In these books, he has criticized China’s economic policies. His ideas were corresponding to Trump’s ‘America First’ philosophy. For this reason, Trump joined the Navaras as a trade consultant during the 2016 campaign and then got important roles in the government.
China on the hint of Navaro
Nawaro’s focus was mainly on the deal with America’s largest economic rival China. Their trade policies are intended to face China’s influence. India, despite an important global player, is not a central goal of the tariff plan of Navaro like China, Canada or Mexico. For example, India imposes high tariffs on US exports (eg, agricultural products and manufactured goods), which usually impose US Indian imports on US Indian imports compared to low tariffs. But in the new tariff plan, the leaders have tried to correct such imbalance. However, this can have a negative impact on US-India trade relations.