I Went to Prison So You Won't Have To: A Love and Lawfare Story in Trump Land

by Peter Navarro, Bonnie Brenner, Stephen K Bannon (Foreword)

They locked him up to send a message. This book sends one right back. 

When senior Trump White House advisor Peter Navarro refused to kneel before the Democrats’ rigged J6 witch hunt, they came for him with guns and handcuffs. Ambushed by five armed FBI agents at Reagan airport, shackled in leg irons, and strip-searched, Navarro became the first ever top presidential aide in US history to be put in federal prison for defending the Constitution. 

I Went to Prison So You Won’t Have To presents Peter’s raw, unfiltered account of what really happens when the American justice system is weaponized for political revenge. Told through a powerful exchange of personal letters between Peter and his fiancée, this book pulls back the curtain on a corrupt and bloated federal prison system in which Trump-era reform laws are ignored, taxpayer dollars are wasted by the billions, and families are torn apart. 

This isn’t just Navarro’s story. It’s a warning to every If rabid partisans can weaponize our justice system to imprison a senior White House official for doing his job, no citizen is truly safe.   

Candid, defiant, and deeply personal, I Went to Prison So You Won’t Have To delivers a searing indictment of the Left’s lawfare machine—and a stirring defense of freedom, love, and constitutional principle in the face of overwhelming injustice. 

If they can come for Peter, they can come for you.  Read this book. Before it’s too late. 

Genres: Politics

377 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 16, 2025

About the author

A Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University. He received several teaching awards in 2010 for the MBA programs that he teaches.

Navarro ran for office in San Diego, California, three times. In 1992, he ran for mayor, winning the primary race, but losing to Susan Golding in the runoff. In 1996, he ran for the 49th Congressional District, but lost to Republican Brian Bilbray. In 2001, Navarro ran in a special election to fill the District 6 San Diego city council seat, but lost in the primary.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

lmao what a fucking joke

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know much about Professor Navarro. I was shocked when he was jailed for maintaining executive privilege, and I wanted to learn more about it.

I was thinking about when I met with Obama's Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, in the White House Mess. What if Kirk is called to testify about the Russian Hoax, based on finding a memo Kirk had written, and what if Kirk were jailed before his appeals were heard? It would be a travesty and the press would wail about it day and night.

Yet in these same circumstances, the press has pretty much ignored what happened to Navarro. Jailed for a misdemeanor while the judges involved admit the appeals may have merit, and while those appeals were still grinding through the courts: outrageous.

The book is a prison diary, with one entry for each day of Navarro's prison stints. We read about the case that sent Navarro to the slammer, the immoral sentence he received (how does that judge sleep at night), and Navarro's day-to-day observations from inside the wall.

A few pages are written by Navarro's gf. The book would have been better without them, but the guy is 75. Making her happy is top priority.

One thing that surprised me is that no wealthy Republican donor stepped in to shore up Navarro's finances. He had a gofundme to help pay his attorneys. However, Dr. Navarro writes about living on a fixed income and getting tight with dough. I guess I'm like a lot of people who presumed some GOP billionaire would just step in and say, "Here's a credit card. You're covered." or "Here's your $1M/year consulting gig. I want you on speed dial."

This is my favorite passage from the book, There were a lot of jackals in the Trump White House, but hands down, the most unhinged was John Bolton.

[Greg Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

insightful and inspirational

Peter Navarro and Bonnie Brenner endured a four month separation that should never have occurred. This book shares why it happened and highlights the extraordinary way Peter and Bonnie made the best of a bad situation. Also there is disturbing information on how things are run in BOP. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Laurence H · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous depiction of the ways government
agencies (eg. BOP) can run their operations. Mr. Navarro describes in thorough detail how they can affect inmates and their families.

Interesting read and good explanation on the way he was able to get some of it corrected.

[Diane E. Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book

Gave you a good deal of information on prison life and what reforms and resources are needed to protect inmates, better food , training for prisoners to prevent recidivism.

[Harry Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written

Navarro writes "postcard" style short chapters. Easy to read with a dash of humor in each. His prose flows well. I was captured by his efforts to improve his situation along with fellow inmates. Quite enjoyable.

[Justin Hall · Rating 1 out of 5]

This much misinformation shouldn't be taken seriously. Whatever you tell yourself, Pete.

[Terry Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of people need to get prosecuted for what they did to so many people.
Peter and Bonnie are true patriots
Great book

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Treasonous trash. The only thing this pile of paper might be good for is wiping one's ass.

[Susan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about behind the scenes of a Trump Advisor who ended up going to Prison. This book shows another side of Trump and his government.

[Ann Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

So much BS