Peter Navarro, Steven Mnuchin feuded at Beijing trade talks

Washington CNN — A long-standing rift between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and the President’s nationalist trade adviser Peter Navarro hit new levels on the sidelines of trade talks in Beijing earlier this month. Navarro fought with Mnuchin during their trip to Beijing, shouting and cursing at the treasury secretary over his approach to the trade talks with their Chinese counterparts, two sources familiar with the incident told CNN. Navarro, who is the voice of protectionist trade policies inside the Trump administration, grew frustrated with the direction Mnuchin was taking at the talks and was upset that other officials were getting shut out of meetings with the Chinese in favor of Mnuchin engaging in one-on-one talks with China’s Vice Premier Liu He, the sources said. Though his chief enemy, Gary Cohn, has left the White House, Navarro has made few allies in the West Wing beyond the President, who often calls for him by saying, “Where is my Peter?” Despite Navarro’s struggles internally, he has found himself with a bigger seat at the table since earlier this year, when he was promoted to the position of assistant to the President, coming at a time when Trump has dug back into his nationalist trade instincts.