Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Economist Quoted Several Times By Top Trump Trade Adviser Turns Out To Be Completely Made-Up

Economist Quoted Several Times By Top Trump Trade Adviser Turns Out To Be Completely Made-Up
Leonard Ortiz/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images

White House adviser Peter Navarro—a crucial figure in President Donald Trump's ongoing trade negotiations with China—cites a Harvard graduate and U.S. veteran in his many books about China.

That veteran's name is Ron Vara, and he doesn't exist.


Tessa Morris-Suzuki, a Japanese and Korean history professor, noticed that Vara only seemed to come up in works by Navarro, and his downright racist rhetoric regarding China was particularly troubling.

Vara is quoted as saying:

"Only the Chinese can turn a leather sofa into an acid bath, a baby crib into a lethal weapon, and a cellphone battery into heart-piercing shrapnel."

Morris-Suzuki began searching for Ron Vara to no avail. Harvard was supposedly his alma mater, but unlike Navarro, Vara wasn't enrolled at the school.

Navarro, however, was a student of Harvard in the 80s, when Vara supposedly attended. They were both economics students who specialized in utilities regulation.

Things got even more suspicious when she realized that "Ron Vara" is an anagram of "Navarro."

Tom Bartlett, a reporter for The Chronicle Review, contacted the co-author of one of Navarro's books for more information about the mysterious Vara.

The co-author told Bartlett he wouldn't find Vara. Oft quoted economist Vara was nothing but an "easter egg"—an alter-ego of Navarro himself.

Navarro said in a statement that Vara was simply a:

"whimsical device and pen name I've used throughout the years for opinions and purely entertainment value, not as a source of fact."

People were flabbergasted that one of Trump's top trade advisers had made up an entirely different person to voice his more radical—and disturbing—opinions on China and its people.

Others thought Navarro's and Trump's mutual dishonesty made them a perfect fit.





The average college or university student would be given a failing grade for having the audacity to completely fabricate sources in academic works, but Navarro will presumably still oversee trade talks with China.

Only in the Trump administration do fabrications bolster credibility.

This shirt is available here.

Amazon

******

Have you listened to the first season of George Takei's podcast, 'Oh Myyy Pod!'?

In season one we explored the racially charged videos that have taken the internet by storm.

We're hard at work on season two so be sure to subscribe here so you don't miss it when it goes live.

Here's one of our favorite episodes from season one. Enjoy!

More from People/donald-trump

Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lynda Carter; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images; Newsmax

Lynda Carter Hilariously Channels Wonder Woman In Response To Trump's Claim About 'Undetectable' Planes

After President Donald Trump touted the U.S. military's "stealth" planes that he described as "undetectable," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter responded to his claim with a funny quip sure to delight fans of her iconic character.

Earlier, Trump boasted about the military's capabilities in remarks to reporters in the Oval Office amid heightened concerns about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that is sending shockwaves throughout the Middle East and around the world:

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less