In October 2016, with Wilbur Ross and Andy Puzder, Navarro coauthored the short 4-page essay titled "Economic Analysis of Donald Trump's Contract with the American Voter". On December 21, 2016, Navarro was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to head a newly created position, as director of the White House National Trade Council. He endorsed President Trump's trade policy as aiming to create jobs, revive the manufacturing sector, and improve the country's trade balance. He warned that trade deficits could jeopardize U.S. national security by allowing unfriendly nations to encroach on American supply chains. One of his main missions is to focus on behaviors by other countries that he considers abusive, cheating, illegal, and unfair against the U.S.Peter Navarro Outlines Trump Administration Trade Policy Priorities, C-SPAN, June 3, 2017Navarro Says Trade Deficit Endangers National Security, Morning Consult, July 3, 2017Peter Navarro Says Trade Deficits Aren't Always Bad, Bloomberg, March 31, 2017
