Peter Kent Navarro, born on July 15, 1949, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is widely known for his role as a trade and manufacturing adviser in the Trump administration. Yet, before his involvement in U.S. politics and global trade policy, Navarro embarked on an educational journey that combined academic rigor, international exposure, and deep exploration of economic theory.
Early life and foundations
Navarro grew up in a household marked by both music and resilience. His father, Albert “Al” Navarro, was a professional musician, while his mother, Evelyn Littlejohn, worked as a secretary at Saks Fifth Avenue. After his parents divorced, Navarro and his brother lived with their mother in a small apartment in Bethesda, Maryland. Despite modest circumstances, he excelled academically, laying the groundwork for his later achievements.He attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, a school renowned for academic rigor, where his aptitude for mathematics and analytical thinking became evident. These formative years helped shape his curiosity about economics, policy, and the forces that drive societies.
Tufts University : Building an academic foundation
Navarro earned a full academic scholarship to Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At Tufts, he explored economics, political science, and public policy, developing the analytical skills that would later inform both his research and policy work. Beyond the classroom, Navarro cultivated a curiosity about global issues—a curiosity that would soon take him across the world.
Global perspective through the Peace Corps
After graduating from Tufts, Navarro joined the US Peace Corps, serving three years in Thailand from 1973 to 1976. During this time, he traveled to Laos, South Korea, Japan, India, Myanmar, and Malaysia. These experiences provided him with firsthand insight into international development, economic disparities, and the functioning of global markets. Living and working in diverse cultural and economic environments helped Navarro understand the complexities of trade and manufacturing on a global scale.
Graduate studies at Harvard University
Following his Peace Corps service, Navarro pursued advanced studies at Harvard University. In 1979, he earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, gaining expertise in public policy, governance, and administrative systems.He then continued at Harvard to pursue a Ph.D. in Economics, which he completed in 1986 under the supervision of economist Richard E. Caves. His dissertation, A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of Corporate Charity Motives, explored why corporations donate to charity, blending economic theory with applied analysis. This research demonstrated his ability to combine rigorous analytical frameworks with real-world implications—a skill that would define much of his later career.
Academic career and UC Irvine
After completing his Ph.D., Navarro began a career in academia, teaching at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of San Diego. In 1989, he joined the University of California, Irvine (UCI) as a professor of economics and public policy at the Paul Merage School of Business.At UC Irvine, Navarro taught for more than two decades, receiving multiple teaching awards for courses in economics, business cycles, and public policy. He also conducted research on energy policy, trade, deregulation, and corporate behavior, while authoring books that combined economic insight with global policy analysis. His academic work laid the foundation for his later involvement in shaping US trade policy.
The bottom line
Peter Navarro’s educational journey—from Tufts University to Harvard, through international service and decades of teaching—provided him with a unique combination of analytical skills, global perspective, and research expertise. Each stage of his education prepared him to navigate complex economic issues, influencing his later roles as an economist, author, and U.S. trade strategist.