Peter Navarro, a former White Home commerce adviser below Donald Trump, claimed that he was strip-searched throughout his current arrest for defying his congressional subpoena.

Giving his first interview since he was arrested by federal brokers for eluding a subpoena issued by the Home choose committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Navarro advised Fox Information' Tucker Carlson about his alleged remedy whereas in custody on Friday, June 3.

Navarro, who after Steve Bannon grew to become the second ally of former President Trump to be charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to conform together with his subpoena, complained the FBI "selected a distinct route" as an alternative of coming to him on to cooperate.

"As a substitute, they went with this shock and awe terrorist technique. They let me go to the airport after which take me with 5 brokers, like an Al Qaeda terrorist, rock me right into a automotive and the following factor I do know I am in leg irons, handcuffs, strip-searched," Navarro mentioned.

peter navarro fbi arrest
A federal grand jury indicted former Trump White Home adviser Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress after refusing to cooperate with the Home January 6 Committees investigation. Above, Navarro talks to the media as he leaves federal courtroom on June 3, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Drew Angerer/Getty Photos

"Folks don't need to sit in solitary confinement and leg irons, denied meals, denied water, denied an lawyer, and that is what we reside in," he added.

Throughout his look on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Navarro additionally falsely claimed that he was subpoenaed "illegally" by the January 6 panel. Navarro, together with a number of members of Trump's internal circle, has tried to quote government privilege as explanation why they don't have to adjust to the January 6 subpoena.

"I used to be confronted with the untenable selection of upholding government privilege, which was not my privilege to waive, that is Donald Trump's privilege to waive, so I did my responsibility to the President," Navarro mentioned.

The Supreme Courtroom rejected Trump's try to dam the discharge of a whole lot of paperwork to the January 6 panel utilizing government privilege, paving the way in which for the argument to be rejected elsewhere.

Bannon, a former Trump adviser, was charged with contempt quickly after the choice was made late final yr. Whereas government privilege could be asserted by a former president, it may possibly solely be invoked if the incumbent permits it. President Joe Biden determined wouldn't be within the "finest pursuits" of the nation to invoke the privilege as regards to the January 6 investigation.

Elsewhere, quite a few individuals have questioned why Navarro felt aggrieved by his remedy throughout his arrest.

"Why are the elite so appalled and shocked when they're arrested and handled like...everybody else?" tweeted radio host Randi Rhodes.

Michael J. Stern, a columnist for USA Right now, tweeted: "Denied an lawyer, meals, water? For a way lengthy? You haven't any proper to a snack should you're in custody for an hour."

Newsweek reached out to Navarro for remark.