Former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro is under threat of being held in contempt of court if he doesn't surrender emails that are considered presidential records, according to federal district Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Tuesday. Over a year ago, the Justice Department sued Navarro, alleging he unlawfully retained government records after leaving his position. Despite losing the lawsuit last spring, Navarro has failed to hand over all the required records, leading the judge to intervene.

The judge emphasized that Navarro still holds presidential records that belong to the United States government. A magistrate judge will now oversee Navarro's process of sifting through around 600 records to determine which should be surrendered. The legal battle sheds light on a broader debate regarding presidential records, a topic also central to former President Donald Trump's legal issues.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly highlighted discrepancies in Navarro's compliance with court orders, noting that some communications that he believed to be personal were deemed official presidential records. As the case progresses, Navarro faces potential consequences for withholding relevant documents. Despite Navarro's criticism of the ruling, the court is determined to uphold the distinction between personal and governmental records.

Separate from this legal dispute, Navarro also faces a criminal contempt of Congress conviction for failing to cooperate with the House's January 6 probe. Navarro has been sentenced to four months in prison, with his appeal ongoing.